How to Claim a Nagaland Lottery Prize

Claim steps

1. Keep the original ticket safe

A photocopy is not enough — the original ticket is required to claim. Do not laminate it: a laminated ticket is treated as a damaged ticket and gets no prize. A ticket that is defaced, torn or mutilated also gets no prize, and a tampered or forged ticket gets no prize and can lead to legal action.

2. Verify against the official gazette

Cross-check your number on this site's ticket checker, then confirm against the official government gazette published by the Directorate of Nagaland State Lotteries (for 1 PM and 8 PM draws) or the Sikkim State Lotteries (for the 6 PM draw). The gazette is the final authority.

3. Claim within 30 days

You have 30 days from the date of the draw to claim. After 30 days the prize cannot be claimed. For Sikkim draws the 30 days run from the date of the gazette. Do not wait.

4. Claim through the right channel

Prizes up to Rs 10,000 are paid by the seller or distributor who sold the ticket. Prizes above Rs 10,000 are claimed from the Directorate of Nagaland State Lotteries, Kohima (for Nagaland draws) or the Sikkim State Lotteries nodal officer (for the 6 PM Sikkim draw). Bring the original ticket and a valid photo ID.

5. Do not pay anyone to claim for you

No official charges a fee to release a prize. Anyone asking for payment first is running a scam.

Documents you need

For prizes above Rs 10,000, keep these ready:

• Original signed ticket (the ticket itself, not a photocopy)
• The prescribed claim form, filled in and signed
• Affidavit from a 1st Class Magistrate or Notary on Rs 20 stamp paper
• PAN card — mandatory for prizes above Rs 10,000
• Photo ID proof (for example Aadhaar or voter ID)
• 3 passport-size photographs
• Bank account details + a cancelled cheque (for payment into your account)
• Attested photocopies of the ticket and your ID

Sikkim claims also need a revenue stamp on the claim form. The exact form and address are on the official claim form issued by the lottery department — always use the current form, not an old one.

Prize amounts

See the full prize structure: 1st Prize Rs 1 Crore, Consolation Rs 1,000, 2nd Rs 10,000, 3rd Rs 500, 4th Rs 250, 5th Rs 120. Ticket price: Rs 7.

Tax on winnings — worked example (Rs 1 Crore win)

Prize money above Rs 10,000 has 30% tax deducted at source (TDS) before it is paid to you — on a Rs 1 Crore win that is Rs 30,00,000 deducted at source. That is not the final tax. Lottery winnings are taxed at a flat 30% under the Income Tax Act (Section 115BB), plus a 4% cess, plus a surcharge if your total income for the year is above Rs 50 lakh.

Example — you win Rs 1,00,00,000 and your total income for the year is Rs 1 Crore: tax 30% = Rs 30,00,000; cess 4% on the tax = Rs 1,20,000; surcharge 10% (total income above Rs 50 lakh) = Rs 3,12,000. Final tax: Rs 34,32,000. You keep Rs 65,68,000.

If your total income is above Rs 1 Crore: the surcharge is 15% instead of 10% — final tax Rs 35,88,000, and you keep Rs 64,12,000.

The exact final tax depends on your total income for the year, so check with a chartered accountant before filing. Do not believe anyone who says a Rs 1 Crore win leaves "under Rs 70 lakh" — the correct figure is about Rs 65,68,000 when total income is Rs 1 Crore.