Everything we found in Illinois
Illinois sells Powerball and Mega Millions online and spells out group claims in its rules. Every fact below is as of October 5, 2026 and comes from the Illinois Lottery, ilga.gov, the Illinois Department of Revenue, powerball.com or the IRS, linked in the sources. Pools can be created in every state that runs a lottery; Illinois is open.
Is a private pool legal here?
Illinois plans for pools. The lottery’s rules (11 Ill. Adm. Code 1770.190) say “Lottery clubs, charitable organizations, corporations, partnerships and other ‘artificial’ persons shall be eligible to purchase Lottery game tickets.” The same section sets out how a group claims:
The pool agreement names who claims. The Illinois Lottery publishes a group claim process: from $600 up to $1 million one member claims and files Form 5754 listing every member's share, and the lottery pays each member listed; at $1 million or more the group claims in its own name with a written agreement to share, signed by all members and dated before the ticket, plus Form 5754. (11 Ill. Adm. Code 1770.190, checked Oct 8, 2026)For the smallest prizes, the rule has one member claim in their own name. The lottery’s Group Play page walks through the same steps.
Group purchase limits: None found in the rules we read (not yet verified). ShareTheWinning is free, takes no cut and never holds money. Whether a specific arrangement is lawful is a question for counsel.
Minimum age
18 or older (20 ILCS 1605/15, checked Oct 8, 2026). The Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/15) applies the age to buying a ticket or a share. Members confirm their age when they join a pool.
Where tickets are sold
At retailers and online through the lottery itself. The FAQ: “Eligible players can purchase Illinois Lottery games on the Illinois Lottery website, the official Illinois Lottery app, or at more than 6,800 retail locations throughout the state.” The Illinois Lottery does not publish a rule on ticket courier services; ask the lottery directly.
- Powerball (multi-draw): Up to 25 drawings per ticket (Illinois Lottery Powerball page, checked Oct 5, 2026), per the draw game rules.
- Mega Millions (multi-draw): Up to 25 drawings per ticket (Illinois Lottery Mega Millions page, checked Oct 5, 2026). The rules allow fewer drawings when marked on a play slip than when you tell the retailer the number.
- Double Play: not offered in Illinois; powerball.com’s Double Play page does not list it.
An admin who buys online should record the ticket with a screenshot from the account rather than a paper photo.
Claim deadlines
One year after the drawing (Illinois Lottery winning FAQ, checked Oct 8, 2026). The lottery’s claim page applies it to Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, among others.
Where to claim, per the lottery’s When You Win page:
- $600 or less: most retailers, a claim center, by mail or by e-Claim. Online wins go straight to the account wallet.
- Over $600 through $10,000: a claim center, by mail or by e-Claim.
- Over $10,000 up to $1 million: a claim center or by mail.
- $1 million and over: call the lottery first, at 1-800-252-1775.
- Mail: Illinois Lottery Claims Department, P.O. Box 19080, Springfield, IL 62794-9912.
Can winners stay anonymous?
Only for prizes of $250,000 or more, on a written request made when the prize is claimed: the lottery keeps the winner's name and city confidential, though the law says this does not override the Freedom of Information Act. (20 ILCS 1605/9(k), checked Oct 8, 2026) The lottery’s FAQ says a request has to be made when the prize is claimed; without one, the lottery “will routinely publish winner information, including the winner’s name, home city, and the amount won.”
Taxes
- State withholding: 4.95% on prizes over $1,000 (State withholding table, checked Oct 8, 2026). The Department of Revenue’s withholding form guide lists Form IL-5754 for shared lottery winnings.
- Federal: The lottery withholds 24% federal tax when a prize minus the wager is more than $5,000. A prize of $2,000 or more is reported to the IRS on Form W-2G. (IRS Form W-2G instructions, checked Oct 1, 2026) The final federal bill is settled on your return.
The split calculator applies Illinois’s withholding rate. See How a pool claims a prize for the group tax paperwork.
Claim offices
All claim centers are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment:
- Chicago: George W. Dunne Cook County Office Building, 69 W. Washington, Suite LL06, Chicago, IL 60601.
- Springfield: 404 N 5th St, Springfield, IL 62702.
- Des Plaines: 9511 Harrison St, Des Plaines, IL 60016.
- Rockford: 200 S. Wyman St, Rockford, IL 61101.
- Fairview Heights: 15 Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, IL 62208.
Official site: illinoislottery.com.
How our pool record helps in Illinois
A group claim that lists every member’s share, a signed agreement made before the ticket was bought, and any request made at claim time all go better with a record fixed before the drawing. In a ShareTheWinning pool the members, shares and confirmed payments lock before the ticket is bought, the ticket is recorded and confirmed before the drawing, and every later change is a new entry. When a prize reaches the threshold for Illinois ($600 by default), the round goes on hold and we preserve an export bundle for the lottery, the accountant and the lawyer.
Read You won. The first five things to do. before anyone posts anything, and see the money math in Ten friends, one jackpot. The “If we win” stop on the Journey shows Illinois’s deadline and privacy rule beside your numbers.
