First of all, contact the National Lottery. Other lotteries may require you to contact the office or the point of sale, for example, if you buy El Gordo lottery tickets from a country outside of Spain. The great news is that you can do that online, over the phone, or at any retail store with the National Lottery logo outside. You could even get the cash right away in person if you scored a smaller reward.
All players get up to 180 days to claim any rewards they won from the lotto. That includes draw play prizes, instant win game prizes, and scratchcard prizes. If you end up winning the lottery jackpot, there will be a verifying process. Once you contact the National Lottery, you will be asked for ID and provide proof of the ticket.
After contacting the institution, you will meet their advisors to discuss what happens when you win the lottery jackpot. Those professionals will also need to verify your ticket and your identity. So, make sure that you have two forms of ID with you and the winning ticket.
Lottery winners can also claim prizes over £50,000 in person. To do that, you must contact the National Lottery in advance and fill out the Prize Claim Form. Of course, you will also have to verify your identity, so bring along an ID. We advise you to speak with third party professional financial advisors before claiming your prize. This could provide you with an impartial view of the best course of action for you.
Once you verify your ticket and identity, you will be given the choice of staying anonymous or going public as the jackpot winner. Most Brits choose to share the good news with close friends and family only. Winners often select this option to protect their privacy and well-being. Nonetheless, about 10 percent of the winners go public and share the news with the country. Ultimately, this could lead to constant calling from long-lost ‘relatives’ and acquaintances looking for a handout.
However, there are some universal lottery tips that we advise you to follow if you score a huge jackpot. For example, you should take a few days off to process what is happening and decide whether to quit your job.