The GA lottery payment methods available in December 2025 are Visa, Mastercard, Discover, PayPal, and bank transfer. Deposits start at $10 and process instantly, while withdrawals via PayPal or bank transfer take 3-5 days.
Below, we cover how to deposit and withdraw funds from the Georgia Lottery online platform, plus how to claim larger prizes over $600 in person or by mail.
If you're looking for a GA lottery code before funding your account, check our dedicated page for the latest offers.
GA Lottery Payment Methods Overview
| Payment Option | Min. Deposit | Deposits | Withdrawals | Withdrawal Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | $10 | Yes | No | N/A |
| MasterCard | $10 | Yes | No | N/A |
| Discover | $10 | Yes | No | N/A |
| PayPal | $10 | Yes | Yes | 1-4 days |
| Bank Transfer | $10 | Yes | Yes | 3-5 days |
Contents
- 1 GA Lottery Payment Methods Overview
- 2 How to Get Started & Deposit Money to GA Lottery
- 3 How to Withdraw Money from GA Lottery
- 4 Minimum and Maximum Balances at the Georgia Lottery
- 5 Processing Times & Troubleshooting Withdrawals or Claims
- 6 Buying Lottery Tickets at Retail Locations
- 7 Responsible Gambling Tools at GA Lottery
- 8 GA Lottery Payment Methods – FAQs
I chose Visa from the list of GA lottery payment methods to deposit to my account, which went through instantly. Once I was ready to withdraw my balance, I used bank transfer, which hit my bank account after four business days.
There are no fees for any of the GA lottery deposit methods or withdrawal methods charged by the Georgia Lottery platform. I wish they’d offer Apple Pay, but it’s a simple site that’s owned and operated by the Georgia state government so I’m not surprised by the lack of more payment types.
Withdrawal Limits and How to Claim Larger Prize Amounts
Withdrawals are reserved for smaller winnings up to $600. You can use bank transfer or PayPal to withdraw your winnings. Visa, Discover, and MasterCard cannot be used as withdrawal methods, only as GA lottery deposit methods.
Any winnings of $601 or higher have to be claimed in person or by mail. Make note that unclaimed winnings expire after 180 days. For Diggi games, prizes are only valid for 90 days, meaning you should withdraw your winnings within that timeframe.
Tip: To establish ownership over your winning ticket, you should sign and print your name on the back as soon as possible. That way, there can be no dispute about whether or not the ticket is actually yours.

Where Can I Claim My Winnings from GA Lottery In Person?
- A Georgia Lottery retailer
- A Georgia Lottery office
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL)
If making a claim at a GA Lottery retailer, they can pay you in cash or a money order. At the Atlanta airport (domestic terminal), you can claim winnings from physical tickets only up to $25,000, which are paid on the spot in cash.
For winnings exceeding $25k, it’s best to visit a GA Lottery office. Winnings of $250k-$500k can only be claimed at a GA Lottery office location. For a same-day payout, you should arrive by 4:00 pm.
Any prizes exceeding $500k can only be deposited to your bank account, which takes 3-5 days to process, sometimes longer depending on your bank.
You can make an appointment to make a claim here. Walk-ins are subject to first come, first served, so it’s a good idea to make an appointment for your claim. For your appointment, be sure to have a picture ID and proof of your Social Security number.
Here are the hours available for in-person claim centers:
- GA Lottery headquarters – Mon-Fri, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
- District offices – Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- ATL claims kiosk – Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
How Do I Claim My GA Lottery Winnings By Mail?
Prizes of any size can be claimed by mail. To claim, sign your winning ticket, fill out the winner claim form, and make copies of a photo ID and your Social Security card, then send them all to:
- Georgia Lottery Corporation
- P.O. Box 56966
- Atlanta, GA 30343
Winnings take 4–6 weeks to process. Obviously, if you have a physical ticket and your prizes are for tens of thousands of dollars, it’s wise to make the claim in person so you never part ways with your winning ticket before it’s cashed in.
How to Get Started & Deposit Money to GA Lottery
Getting started and depositing funds to use at the Georgia Lottery is simple. Here’s a walkthrough to get you going.

- Create an account through the GA Lottery website or through the GA Lottery mobile app
- Enable online purchases by opting into iHope during registration
- Provide your personal details, including your mailing address and the last four digits of your SSN
- Once your account is active, click Manage Funds
- Under Funding Resource, click Add New Funding Source
- Select Register New Funding Source
- Choose your preferred option from the GA lottery payment methods and Submit
- Set the amount you’d like to deposit and confirm
How to Withdraw Money from GA Lottery
You can only withdraw winnings prizes of $600 or less to a withdrawal method. If you win a prize of $601 for example, you’ll need to claim that in person at the Georgia Lottery headquarters or a district office.
Here’s how to withdraw funds from your iHope account:
- In the app or GA Lottery website, go to My Account
- Click Transfer Funds and choose your withdrawal method
- Select the withdrawal method you prefer (PayPal or bank account transfer)
- Set the amount you want to withdraw and confirm to continue
- Wait 3-5 days to receive your money
Minimum and Maximum Balances at the Georgia Lottery
There’s a minimum $10 required to make a withdrawal. However, if your account balance reaches zero, your account will remain active and there is no penalty.
There is no set maximum balance for the GA Lottery. Although prizes over $600 must be claimed in person, your balance is allowed to exceed this limit as long as it’s made up of prizes and winnings below $600 each.
For example, if you won $500 in a game and then $500 in another game in the same day, the $1,000 in winnings would be eligible for withdrawal using bank account or PayPal.
Processing Times & Troubleshooting Withdrawals or Claims
- PayPal withdrawals take 3-4 days
- Bank transfers take 3-5 days, sometimes longer depending on your bank
- In person claims up to $250k are paid on the spot
- Claims of $250k-$500k are paid on the spot before 4pm
- Winnings above $500k are sent to your bank account and take 3-5 days
- Prizes won from playing online can’t be claimed at ATL airport
These processing times are standard for state-run lotteries. If faster cashouts are a priority, you might prefer the fastest payout betting sites, which often process withdrawals within 24 hours.
What to Do if You Have a Problem Withdrawing or Making a Claim
If you’ve attempted to make a claim or withdraw and encountered an issue, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Physical tickets must be signed with your name on the back
- Only winnings up to $600 are eligible for withdrawal
- Winnings over $600 must be claimed at a retailer or a GA Lottery office
- Prizes ranging from $250k to $500k can only be claimed at a GA Lottery office
- Retailers may pay you with a money order if they don’t have sufficient cash on hand
- Prizes expire after 180 days, 90 days for Diggi game winnings
- For online prize above $600, you’ll receive instructions on how to claim via email
In the My Transactions section, you can view all incoming and outgoing transactions on your account. To check the status of a withdrawal, you can look there and see if the transfer has gone through.
What to Do When Withdrawals Still Show as Pending
If it has gone through but you haven’t received your funds yet, it may be because the funds haven’t been processed by your bank or by PayPal yet. In that case, you should contact them to see if they can spot any incoming transactions to your account.
If a transaction seems to be stuck you should contact GA Lottery customer support and see if there’s a verification pending or something that’s holding up your transfer.
If you need help for any reason, get in touch with the Georgia Lottery customer service.
GA Lottery Customer Support
- Phone line: 1-800-GA-LUCKY
- Headquarters: 1-404-215-5000
- Contact form: https://www.galottery.com/en-us/contact-us.html
- FAQ: https://www.galottery.com/content/portal/en/player-zone/player-faqs.html
- Headquarters address: 250 Williams Street, Suite 3000, Atlanta, GA 30303
The best way to contact GA Lottery is by using the 1-800 number. When I called to test their customer service, someone answered after only a minute or two. The agent was friendly and helpful, answering all my questions.
It would be great if they would offer live chat as well, but a 1-800 number is just as good in my opinion. If you want them to get back to you via email, that way you have a paper trail of their correspondence, you can write to them through the contact form to initiate that.
Buying Lottery Tickets at Retail Locations
Buying lottery tickets at a retail location is easy. You can pay with cash or debit. Credit is not recommend and many merchants will not accept credit since when used to gamble, it is technically considered a cash advance.
Authorized retailers will have the authority to print you as many valid tickets as you’d like to purchase. You can also claim prizes in-store, which will be paid out in cash, money order, or a combination of both.
Responsible Gambling Tools at GA Lottery
Georgia Lottery has a section of their site called Play Responsibly. Here’s an overview of what you can find there.
Setting Deposit and Session Limits
The default limits for GA lottery deposit methods are $1k per day, $2k per week, and $6k per month. These limits can be lowered in the My Account section. If you want to increase your deposit limits, there’s a 24-hour ‘cool-off’ period required.
A Time Notification will pop up once per hour to let you know how long you’ve been playing. You can also set time restraints, which will automatically end your session after a certain period of time as passed.

Self-Exclusion Options
The platform offers a voluntary self-exclusion option, allowing you to temporarily pause access to your account. The available timeframes for exclusion are 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, or a full year. Once applied, the exclusion is irreversible.
To set up voluntary self-exclusion, please call our support team at 1-800-GA-LUCKY (1-800-425-8259).
Problem Gambling Resources
GA Lottery’s Play Responsibly page includes a section called Understanding Problem Gambling. There you’ll find a self-assessment tool in the form of a questionnaire and tips section titled Debunking Common Myths About Lottery Play.
To speak with someone who can help you further, call 1–800–GAMBLER now.
GA Lottery Payment Methods – FAQs
Which deposit options does Georgia Lottery accept?
GA lottery deposit methods are PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and bank transfer. All deposits are instant.
How long do withdrawals take at Georgia Lottery?
Both GA lottery withdrawal methods take 3-5 days. Depending on your bank, bank transfers could take longer.
Which withdrawal options does Georgia Lottery accept?
The only GA lottery withdrawal methods are PayPal and bank transfer. Withdrawals take 3-5 business days.
Does Georgia Lottery accept Apple Pay?
No. Georgia Lottery only accepts debit cards, PayPal, or bank transfers
What is the minimum balance required for a withdrawal at Georgia Lottery?
$10. If you don’t have at least $10 in your account, you can’t make a withdrawal using any of the GA lottery withdrawal methods.
