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As the Mega Millions lottery drawing approaches, players may be wondering how to protect their safety and identity if one happens to be the lucky winner.
No person matched the numbers for the last Mega Millions drawing. That catapulted the jackpot to $1 billion as of Thursday.
That hefty prize is likely to draw attention to any winner(s) whose identities are revealed — which arguably makes them a target for theft and other safety compromises.
However, public disclosure laws actually vary by state, according to the Mega Millions.
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“Some states require their lotteries to publicly identify winners, while others do not,” the lottery game’s website states. “Check with the lottery in your jurisdiction.”
Here are a number of U.S. states out of the 45 Mega Millions-participating states where winners can be anonymous.
(This list is subject to change as more states have been pushing for legislation that would protect lottery winners’ identities.)
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday at 11 p.m. EDT. The estimated payout is $1.025 billion; the cash option would pay $602.5 million.
(Nicole Pelletiere/Fox News Digital)
What states in America allow Mega Millions winners to be anonymous?
Arizona
The names of people (or legally formed entities) who win $600 or more are held confidential for 90 days from the date the prize is awarded, according to the Arizona lottery.
Winners are also not revealed in public records during that period.
Winners of $100,000 or more may choose to have their names remain permanently confidential. However, the prize winner’s city and county of residence is not confidential, in accordance with Arizona law.
Delaware
State law in Delaware allows winners to remain anonymous, according to the Delaware Lottery Games.
Georgia
If a person wins a lottery prize of $250,000 or more, that person may remain anonymous.
A number of U.S. states — including Georgia — allow lottery winners to claim prizes anonymously.
(iStock)
Kansas
The Kansas Lottery says winners may request to have their name and residence kept a secret, “and the Kansas Lottery is happy to honor that request,” the organization says on its website.
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Maryland
Lottery winners have the right to remain anonymous in Maryland, according to the state’s lottery organization.
“We do not release any such winner’s name or photo unless the winner has specifically given us written consent to do so,” Maryland’s website states.
Minnesota
After a bill was passed in 2021, the names and cities of lottery winners collecting a prize greater than $10,000 are anonymous unless the winner chooses to go public.
Mississippi
The Mississippi Lottery will not disclose the identity of the lottery winner without that person’s written permission, in accordance with the Alyce G. Clarke Mississippi Lottery Law.
Missouri
By law, the Missouri Lottery cannot publish names of lottery winners without their prior consent, according to the state’s lottery site.
Montana
The name of a Montana Lottery winner is not made public.
The Montana Lottery also says that it does not release the names of winners without permission from the winner.
New Jersey
For prizes over $1 million that have been claimed since 2020 legislation, the New Jersey Lottery allows winners to choose to remain anonymous.
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On January 21, 2020, the New Jersey Lottery Law was changed so that winners could choose to remain anonymous indefinitely, “and the identity of winners shall not be included in materials available to public inspection under the State’s Open Public Records Act,” the New Jersey Lottery stated in a 2021 press release.
North Dakota
In North Dakota, winners may elect to release their information, or to remain anonymous.
Ohio
Anonymity is also granted in the state of Ohio.
The Mega Millions website states that people should check with the lottery in their jurisdiction to see if anonymity for lottery winners is granted.
(iStock)
South Carolina
In South Carolina, winners may remain anonymous.
However, in 2021, the freedom of anonymity was challenged by a man who filed an open records request with the state Lottery Commission; he was seeking the names, contact information, date and jackpot amounts of winners of $1 million or more for a 12-month period in 2013 and 2014, according to the Associated Press (AP).
At first, the state Supreme Court sided with the man.
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The commission then sued the man. A judge ruled that the release of the winners’ “personal identifying information would constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy” within the meaning of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, according to the AP.
The judge also prohibited the man from continuing to seek the information from any source.
Lottery forms for Louisiana Mega Millions, Powerball and other lottery games fill the drawer at The World Bar and Grill, in Delta, La.
(AP)
Texas
While it wasn’t always possible in Texas, lottery winners can now remain anonymous.
Specifically, a person who wins a lottery prize of $1 million or more is eligible for anonymity, according to a 2017 announcement posted by the Texas Lottery.
Virginia
As of July 1, 2019, a law in Virginia allows winners of prizes greater than $10 million to choose anonymity — meaning the winner’s name and residence are not released to the public, according to the Virginia Lottery’s website.
West Virginia
Also effective in 2019, West Virginia law allows winners to remain anonymous as long as the prize won is $1 million or greater.
“All other winners are made public and listed in the winner database on wvlottery.com,” the state’s lottery site says.
Wyoming
The Wyoming Lottery Corporation says it will honor requests for anonymity from lottery winners.
How can I anonymously claim a lottery prize if my state doesn’t allow it?
As an alternative, winners might be able to form a blind trust through their attorney so that winnings can be anonymously received, State Farm advises.
Lottery winners should also keep confidential the news that they’ve won before they turn in a ticket, the insurance company says.
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Winners should also be prepared to change their contact information.
This is because many lotteries share names or require interviews or press conference participation for transparency reasons.
To stay safe, Mega Millions and other big prize lottery winners should protect their personal information.
(Nicole Pelletiere/Fox News Digital)
State Farm also warns that lottery winners should read each game’s rules and contract before signing their winning ticket.
“In some cases, signing your ticket might prevent you from creating a blind trust later,” notes the insurance company’s “What to do if you win the lottery” article.
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One financial adviser in the New York City area recommended putting the ticket in a bank safe deposit box until winners have completed consultations with legal and financial advisers.
Also, this adviser said to understand the rules within your particular state about whether or not you can remain anonymous. “It’s very important,” he said.
Be sure to visit your state’s official lottery page for more information.
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The next Mega Millions drawing is Friday at 11:00 p.m. EDT.
Fox News Digital’s Cortney Moore and Maureen Mackey contributed to this report.
