Retailer Questions

The Lottery Services Portal (LSP) is an all-new, user-friendly website for Wisconsin Lottery retailers that provides up-to-date information and simplifies the lottery process.  Users have access lottery invoices, sales and inventory reports with a single log in. The LSP offers up to three years of lottery historical data with a single point of access for owners of multiple locations.

Your Lottery Field Marketing Representative can provide your log in code.  Each log in code is specific to each owner listed on the contract.

If you are a chained location, your Lottery Corporate Account Manager can assist in setting up your portal log-in. For guidance please call the Lottery Retailer Hotline at 1-800-242-7782 choose option #7.

The LSP offers more than a traditional lottery website, as the portal is specific to your retail location(s.)

• Know exactly how much money is due on the next sweep (EFT Amount)
• Always be on top of your Retailer Performance Program earnings and trends
• Get real-time alerts about situations occurring in your store, including some that may be costing you sales (such as un-activated or expiring games)
• Share the good news about high jackpots and winners in your location through social media links and printable posters.
• Receive detailed reports on your business without being tied to your lottery terminal
• Learn details about Lottery Incentives and initiatives, find Lottery business forms, plus much more!

According to your contract you are asked, when reasonable, to pay all winning tickets up to $599. Winners tend to tell friends where they won and will spend some or all of their winnings in your store. Each store may determine the maximum prize amount they will pay. If less than $599, please post this information.

YES, if the unopened pack of tickets has not expired. See your Lottery Field Marketing Representative or call the Retailer Hotline 1-800-242-7782 to request a Ticket Return Form.

Please see your Lottery Field Marketing Representative or call the Retailer Hotline at 1-800-242-7782.

You will be asked to sign a contract prior to your location being authorized to sell Lottery tickets. You can read through a sample of the contract here: Sample Retailer Lottery Contract. Please call the Retailer Contracting team at 608-267-4804 if you have additional questions about becoming a Wisconsin Lottery retailer.

Wisconsin State Statutes prohibit the Lottery from engaging in a contract with a person if during the immediately preceding 10 years the person has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to:

1. A felony;
2. Any gambling related offense;
3. Fraud or misrepresentation.

Wisconsin State Statutes also prohibit the Lottery from engaging in a contract with a person who:

• has been finally adjudged to be delinquent in the payment of taxes;
• has been found delinquent in the payment of contributions to the unemployment reserve fund;
• owes a payment to the work injury supplemental benefit fund.

Please note that an installment agreement does not relieve you of a delinquency.

Use the contact information below to check your tax status:
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Phone: 608-267-0833
Email: DORSpecialProcedures@wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Unemployment Insurance
Phone: 608-266-9700
Email: uitaxcoll@dwd.wisconsin.gov

Under Wisconsin Tax 61.08(11) (c) under the Retailer Contract Terms and Conditions states, "the retailer shall sell a minimum monthly average of $400 worth of instant scratch tickets or instant break−open tickets or the sum of both each fiscal quarter." The Lottery runs quarterly reports to ensure compliance with the requirement and that Wisconsin Retailers have a minimum of $1,200 of sales of instant scratch tickets or instant break−open tickets or the sum of both.

Insufficient funds in a retailer bank account at the scheduled time of an EFT results in a Non-Transfer of Funds (NFT). NFT's that occur within a 12-month period will result in the following actions: First and Second NFT - $25 service fee; Second with a previous NFT balance - $25 service fee and suspension of ordering and wagering; Third NFT - $50 service fee and suspension of ordering and wagering; Fourth or more NFT - $75 service fee and suspension of ordering and wagering for each occurrence. The Lottery reserves the right to terminate the contract of any retailer who incurs three or more NFT's within a 12-month period. The policy ensures that service fees and suspensions are administered uniformly. Please call the Retailer Hotline 1-800-242-7782 with any questions.

Yes, the Lottery needs to know any time your business structure changes. That means if an owner changes or an officer changes, or your FEIN number changes. Any of these would be reasons for the Wisconsin Lottery to need new/updated paperwork to your current Lottery contract. Contact the Contracting department by calling the Retailer Hotline at 1-800-242-7782, press 4 to ask about necessary forms for changing your business structure.

You may easily change your bank account by submitting a Lottery Retailer Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization form. You can easily find this form here.

You are billed for packs 21 days after they have been activated. If packs are not activated, you will be force billed for the packs 42 days after they are received. For more information on instant ticket billing, you can open the Retailer Instant Ticket Billing Terms informational brochure .

• Balancing Report, which summarizes a day or week’s activities.
• Billing Report, which is your weekly billing invoice (last 52 weeks available).
• Instant Order Liability Report, which details packs of tickets and billing date.
• Winning Numbers Report, all games or a specific game and date.
• Jackpot Report for Powerball, Mega Millions, Megabucks and Badger 5.
• No Top Prize Report, this must be posted in your store (update weekly).
• News message report repeats the Sign-on message.
• Game Calendar Report, which lists all instant games available.

Immediately produce a reprint ticket. DO NOT give the reprint to the customer. Attach the reprint ticket to the questionable Lotto ticket and send with an explanation in the “adjustment envelope” (provided by IGT) to the Lottery. The Lottery will make the determination as to the adjustment of your account. Watch your BILLING STATEMENT for this adjustment. It will be for the amount of the “unreadable ticket” minus your commission.

After producing the reprinted ticket, you may then generate another ticket for the customer.

Call Retailer Hotline (1-800-242-7782) to report the problem. 

The Retailer will need to install all necessary electrical circuit and outlets as needed to accommodate Lottery equipment. Up to 6 outlets may be necessary for terminal equipment and 3 outlets for vending equipment.

The breaker box should label the circuit belonging to the outlet(s) Lottery equipment is using.

Additionally, an external antenna may need to be mounted outside the building to ensure reliable connectivity for your Lottery equipment.

Call the Lottery at least two weeks in advance of work to coordinate the inside wiring move. Inform us by calling the Retailer Hotline at 1-800-242-7782, press option 3, then 2 to schedule the terminal move. Be sure there is a dedicated electric outlet available where the terminal is being placed.

The Altura terminal requires a dedicated electric line. This means a special electric line that has nothing else plugged into it, except the terminal and lotto view display. If other equipment is plugged into this line, it could adversely affect your terminal with down time and lost sales. 

YES.  Power to the terminal must remain ON at all times.  DO NOT UNPLUG.  The central computer system communicates important information to the terminal during “off hours.”  The terminal should only be unplugged upon instructions from a Retailer Hotline operator. If you have terminal problems, call the Retailer Hotline 1-800-242-7782, press option 3, then 1.

NO. Reprint tickets can not be sold or used to collect winnings. The only purpose of a reprint ticket is to send into the Lottery to receive credit for an unreadable ticket transaction.

There is a “No Cancellation Policy” for any lotto tickets produced in error. We recommend selling the ticket to another player. As a good business practice, always verify ticket requests with player, get the money and then press SEND.

• VERIFY the name of the game.
• VERIFY the number of dollars and number of days.
• COLLECT the money.
• If all the above has been completed; press SEND

180 DAYS.  Instant scratch games expire 180 days following the declared game ending date. Lotto game tickets expire 180 days from date of the draw for which the ticket was purchased. Keep in mind that the Lottery will inform retailers ahead of expiration date for an opportunity to return these tickets.

DO NOT PAY. Credit cannot be given as the ticket has been previously cashed at your or another retailer location. The previous retailer/clerk did not properly destroy the ticket and the player is trying to cash again. Do not confront the player. Suggest he send the ticket to the Lottery for payment. Always remember to scan the ticket to validate, and then tear winning tickets in half through the validation barcode, and staple one half to the Cash Authorization Receipt.

You may manually enter the ticket serial number. Touch MANUAL TICKET CASH, and manually enter the bar code on the back of the ticket, then enter the 10-digit number under the play area on the front of the ticket. Never "sight validate" tickets, always confirm validation on the terminal.

Do not redeem tickets that you suspect have been tampered with or that are mutilated.  Give the player a Claim Form and instruct them to send the ticket to the Lottery.

Since 1988, the Wisconsin Lottery has managed the Lottery fund with the following results (sales through FY 2023):

PLAYER PRIZES - $10.8 billion or 57% of Revenue

At least 50% of total revenue must be dedicated to prize winnings.

RETAILER COMMISSIONS - $1.2 billion or 6.4% of Revenue

This money goes to Wisconsin businesses.

OPERATIONAL EXPENSES - $1.2 billion or 6.3% of Revenue

Includes expenses such as salaries, employee benefits, supplies, and services. The Lottery has operated well below the mandated limit of 10%.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF - $5.7 billion or 30.3% of Revenue

This money has been returned to eligible Wisconsin taxpayers.

Since 1988, the Wisconsin Lottery has generated more than $15.3 Billion in total revenue. Over 93% of that revenue has gone back to winners, retailers, and Wisconsin homeowners.

An annuity is a sum of money payable annually or at regular intervals. Powerball, Mega Millions, and Megabucks have top prizes that provide an annual annuity option. The Lottery uses the money in the prize pool to purchase zero-coupon bonds. Each of the bonds matures annually so the winner receives a check each year. By buying bonds the Lottery can offer larger prizes than a single, lump sum cash payment. The jackpot prize is paid in 25 annual installments for Megabucks, 30 annual installments for Powerball and 26 annual installments for Mega Millions. The estimated jackpot is the approximate value of the 25, 26, or 30-year annuity prize.

The cash option jackpot prize is paid in one lump sum cash payment equal to the amount of cash available to the Lottery in the jackpot prize pool, which will be less than the estimated jackpot. This cash payment may be approximately one-half of the estimated annuitized jackpot as advertised by the Lottery.

NO. Credit cards may not be used to purchase lottery tickets. 

NO, Wisconsin Lottery tickets may only be purchased at a participating Wisconsin Lottery retailer.

You may print and post Winning Number reports. They may look on the Lottery's website or call the Lottery Player Hotline (1-608-266-7777). Numbers are also posted in the local news media. All past historical numbers may be obtained by sending a request and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: 

Wisconsin Lottery
attention Player Relations
PO Box 8941
Madison, Wisconsin 53708-8941

Tickets can only be sold to persons at least 18 years of age, but minors may receive tickets as gifts.

Winning tickets of $600 or more must be claimed at a Lottery office or by mail. Lottery offices are located in Madison and Milwaukee. To claim by mail the player should sign the back of the ticket, complete a Winner Claim Form and mail them to: Prizes, PO Box 777, Madison, WI  53774. We recommend that you utilize a mailing method that provides you with proof of mailing. Please keep copies of your submissions.

All Powerball, Mega Millions and Megabucks jackpot prizes must be claimed in Madison.  For jackpot prizes players may call 608-261-4916 to make arrangements to come in to validate the ticket.

NO, not in the true sense of the word. Wisconsin has "Open Records" law. Virtually any information state government produces, or controls, is available to any person requesting. The statutes are specific in determining what individual information may be subject to this law. Only information "in the public's interest" may be released by a government agency. For Lottery winners this means that it has (1) been determined that it is in the public's interest to know there have been Lottery winners (as the proceeds of the Lottery are for public use, i.e. property tax relief) and (2) the Lottery must, upon request, release the name and hometown of winners. Any other information about the winner, their future plans or any background information will only be released with the winner's consent. The winner may or may not speak to the media. It is not required, nor can it be prevented.

All lottery winnings are taxable. The Lottery automatically deducts 24% federal tax for winnings $5,001+ and 7.65% state tax for winners over $2,000+.

The odds are calculated by taking the total number of tickets printed divided by the total number of prizes available. Where the prizes end up when the tickets are printed is determined by random, computer generated formulas. Although any particular string of ten tickets may not produce a winner, there is just as much possibility that another string of ten tickets could produce several winning tickets.

Of the first 59 winners in the Powerball game, there were 41 winners (about 70%) who won using "Quick-Pick" or computer generated numbers. The remaining 18 winners (30%) used their personally-selected numbers.

The remaining payments are given to the estate of the winner (Wis. Stats. 565.30 (1).)

The value of unclaimed prizes is credited to the Lottery Property Tax Relief Fund.

The Wisconsin Lottery has all kinds of resources to help you build a successful Lottery business. Our Retailer Manual details how to, balance your weekly billing, track your instant tickets, handle new shipments of tickets and more!

Learn more on the Common Forms page.