State Specific Rules
The fundamentals of playing Powerball are the same in Nebraska as in every other state. However, once you have chosen your numbers and decided whether or not to add Power Play, there are a few rules specific to Nebraska which may differ to other jurisdictions.
- You have to be at least 19 years old to buy a ticket.
- Tickets can be purchased anytime from 5:00am CT to 3:00am CT the following day, apart from between 9:00pm and 9:03pm on draw nights.
- You can enter the same numbers for up to 12 weeks (24 draws) by marking the multi-draw box on your playslip.
- All prizes above $5,000 will be subject to a five percent state tax.
- You can add Double Play to your Powerball ticket in Nebraska.
How to Claim Prizes
You should complete and sign the back of your ticket to prove that it belongs to you. If you lose your ticket and it has not been signed, you have no right to make a claim.
You can claim prizes of up to $500 from any licensed lottery retailer in Nebraska, but awards between $501 and $19,999 need to be redeemed at a regional center or by mail. Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Nebraska Lottery headquarters. It is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm CT (9:00am to 6:00pm ET) Monday through Friday and the address and telephone number are as follows:
Nebraska Lottery
137 NW 17th Street
Lincoln, NE 68528
Tel: 402-471-6100
If you are submitting a claim by mail, you need to send off your claim form and winning ticket to the address below:
Nebraska Lottery Prize Claim
P.O. Box 95145
Lincoln, NE 68509-5145
The following table shows the addresses of the regional claim centers, where you can redeem prizes between $501 and $19,999.
| Location | Address | Telephone Number: | Opening Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island | Nebraska State Fair Office 501 E. Fonner Park Rd, Suite 200 Grand Island, NE 68801 | 308-382-1620 | 8:30am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:30pm |
| Norfolk | 304 North 5th, Suite D Norfolk, NE 68701-4091 | 402-370-3333 | 8:00am-12:00pm |
| North Platte | Craft State Office Building 200 South Silber North Platte, NE 69101-4200 | 308-535-8250 | 8:00am-12:00pm |
| Omaha | 1313 Farnam Nebraska State Office Building Omaha 68102-1871 | 402-595-2065 | 7:30am-4:30pm |
| Scottsbluff | 505A Broadway, Suite 800 Scottsbluff, 69361-3515 | 308-632-1200 | 8:00am-12:00pm |
Please note that the Grand Island center may not be open or able to process claims at all the times stated due to the regular operations of the Nebraska State Fair. You are advised to check before you visit this office to claim your prize.
Claim Period
You must claim any Powerball prizes you win within 180 days of the draw taking place. Use the Number Checker to see if you might be due a prize. If you win the jackpot, you have a further 60 days to decide whether you would like to take the annuity or the lump sum option.
Going Public
If you win a prize in Nebraska, you can keep your name out of the public eye by setting up a trust. State law requires that claims can only be filed under the name of an individual or a legal entity. If you don’t set up a trust you will therefore be unable to stay anonymous and your name, city of residence, and the amount you won will be released publicly.
Where Does the Money Go?
Approximately 57 percent of the Nebraska Lottery’s revenue is used as prize money. Once the prize money has been paid out and expenses covered, there is around 24 percent remaining to go towards education and environmental initiatives. This money is distributed quarterly to beneficiary funds, and the Nebraska Lottery has contributed more than $700 million to worthy causes since it started in 1993. The money has been funneled into projects in all 93 of the state’s counties. The money for good causes is distributed as follows:
| Beneficiary | Breakdown of Funds |
|---|---|
| Nebraska Education Improvement Fund | 44.5% |
| Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund | 44.5% |
| Nebraska State Fair | 10% |
| Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund | 1% |
Education and the environment are the biggest winners, with each sector receiving 44.5 percent of the proceeds. The Nebraska State Fair is given 10 percent every year to spend on improving the facilities. The Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund receives the remaining one percent, plus the first $500,000 in proceeds each fiscal year.
Nebraska Powerball Winners
Nebraskan players have enjoyed considerable success on Powerball since tickets went on sale in the state in 1994. Lyle and Diann Fleharty of Hastings even won a $50 million jackpot just nine days after the game was launched in Nebraska, donating some of their winnings to help a local college build a state-of-the-art sports complex.
The biggest win in the state came on February 18, 2006, when a pool of eight colleagues won $365 million. At the time it was the largest jackpot ever seen on Powerball, and it was claimed by eight co-workers at the ConAgra meat processing plant in Lincoln. They chose the cash option of $177 million and had little sympathy for the colleagues who had not joined the group. Alain Maboussou, one of the winners, said: “When it's a pool day, we ask people to put like in five bucks, so if you wasn't there or you didn't put five bucks in, sorry.”
