Everything we found in New Hampshire
New Hampshire sells Powerball and Mega Millions online and exempts lottery prizes from state tax, which makes it unusual. Every fact below is as of October 5, 2026 and comes from the New Hampshire Lottery’s own pages and claim form, its administrative rules (Lot 600), the Revised Statutes Annotated and the IRS, linked in the sources. Pools can be created in every state that runs a lottery; New Hampshire is open.
Is a private pool legal here?
We read RSA 284 (the lottery chapter) and the Lot 600 claim rules. Neither forbids a group of adults from putting money together to buy tickets and share a prize. Group purchase cap: None found in the rules we read (not yet verified). Lot 602.02(e) says that “if the claimant is a trust, the individual named as trustee shall furnish photographic identification to the commission at the time of the claim.”
How the lottery handles a group: The pool agreement names who claims. The New Hampshire Lottery's rules for Powerball and Mega Millions say it pays as directed by the person or people whose signatures are on the back of the ticket. It does not publish whether it takes IRS Form 5754 for a group. (N.H. Admin. Rules Lot 2001.02(i), checked Oct 8, 2026) The lottery’s claim form has room for one winner’s name, and the person who signs it declares that the form “identifies me as the sole recipient of this payment.” For how a group with several members should file, ask the lottery directly through its contact page.
ShareTheWinning is free, takes no cut of tickets or prizes and never holds money. Whether a particular arrangement is lawful is a question for counsel, not for us.
Minimum age
18 or older (New Hampshire Lottery claim page, checked Oct 8, 2026). RSA 284:21-h bars ticket sales to minors and, for online sales, requires age checks that block underage buyers. Members confirm their age when they join a pool.
Where tickets are sold
At retailers and online from the lottery itself. The iLottery page lists the games sold through the lottery’s website and app: “Powerball, Mega Millions, Tri-State Megabucks, Millionaire for Life, Tri-State Gimme 5, and e-Instant games.” The buyer must be in the state. The iLottery terms say: “You must be physically located within the boundaries of New Hampshire to purchase, deposit or play Lottery games online.” RSA 284:21-h says online purchases “shall be limited to transactions initiated and completed within the geographic borders of the state of New Hampshire.” The terms forbid letting “any third party to use Your Account.”
Couriers: the New Hampshire Lottery does not publish a rule on third-party courier services; ask the lottery directly through its contact page.
- Powerball multi-draw: Up to 20 drawings per ticket (New Hampshire Lottery Powerball page, checked Oct 5, 2026).
- Mega Millions multi-draw: Up to 20 drawings per ticket (New Hampshire Lottery Mega Millions page, checked Oct 5, 2026).
- Powerball Double Play: not offered in New Hampshire; powerball.com’s Double Play page does not list it.
Claim deadlines
One year after the drawing (New Hampshire Lottery claim page, checked Oct 8, 2026). Lot 602.04(a) sets the period in the rules. Prizes won through iLottery have the same period, counted from the day the prize was won.
Where to claim depends on the prize:
- Up to $599.99: any participating retailer, or by mail.
- $600 and up: lottery headquarters in Concord, or by mail with the claim form, photo ID and proof of Social Security number.
- iLottery prizes under $2,000 go straight to your account; $2,000 to $20,000 are claimed through the iLottery portal; above $20,000 at headquarters or by mail.
Can winners stay anonymous?
No. The New Hampshire Lottery's practice is to release winners' names and hometowns, and every document it receives is subject to the public records law (RSA 91-A); street address and phone number stay confidential. (New Hampshire Lottery claim page, checked Oct 8, 2026) The Lot 600 rules do allow a trust to be the claimant.
Taxes
- State withholding: None: the lottery withholds no state tax (State withholding table, checked Oct 1, 2026). RSA 284:21-rr: a lottery prize winner “shall be exempt from any tax imposed thereon by the state of New Hampshire.”
- 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 lottery’s claim page says it withholds federal tax “at the applicable rates set by the United States Internal Revenue Service.” The final federal bill is settled on your return.
- Debts: RSA 284:21-v requires a check for unpaid child support before any prize of $2,000 or more is paid.
The split calculator sets New Hampshire’s state rate to zero. See How a pool claims a prize for how IRS Form 5754 works.
Claim office
New Hampshire Lottery, 14 Integra Drive, Concord, NH 03301. Hours Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; phone 603-271-3391. Mail claims go to the same address, “Attn: Processing.” Official site: nhlottery.com.
How our pool record helps in New Hampshire
A claim usually runs through one person, and an online ticket lives in one member’s account. Our record covers both: the members, shares and confirmed payments lock before the purchase; a screenshot of each online play or a photo of each paper ticket is recorded before the drawing; and every change afterward is a new entry, never an edit. At the New Hampshire threshold ($600 by default) the round goes on hold and we preserve an export bundle for the lottery, the accountant and, if it ever comes to it, a court.
The “If we win” stop on the Journey shows the claim deadline beside your numbers. For the first 48 hours after a win, read You won. The first five things to do.
