Illinois Lottery To Reopen Claim Centers As Many Wait To Claim Prize Money

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in Illinois Lottery winnings have gone unpaid over the past few months, leaving many players to wonder when they’ll see their money.

Unused prizes have been significantly delayed as a result of state center closures. Centers immediately shut down in March due to COVID-19 issues before reopening on July 1. But on July 4, they closed once more, confusing several finalists.

While playing Pick 4 at a Crystal Lake gas station in March, JohnSandor won$ 2,700. On July 6, Sandor arrived at the Illinois Lottery Claim Center in Rockford just to discover that it was finished.

“I asked why and they just wouldn’t really give me a good answer,” Sandor told CBS2. “They just said they were closed.”

Signs at the Des Plaines claim location said the center would be closed until further notice and to visit IllinoisLottery.com for more information. A statement from lottery officials cites “an overwhelming response from our players” amid extended wait times and unsafe conditions.

Harold Mays, the acting director of the Illinois Lottery, stated in the speech:

& ldquo, We anticipated a large number of players and lengthy wait times, but many of those players had to wait for an extended period of time outside or in their cars in order to maintain proper social distance in the centers. To reduce the risk to players, we have made the decision to temporarily near our claim centers and reopen them immediately with a procedure that does better manage the volume and match it to the location’s capacity. & rdquo,

On July 27, four centers will resume.

Illinois Lottery announced on Monday a plan to reopen four of the five claims centers next week:

9511 Harrison Street, Des Plaines
• 15 Executive Drive in Fairview Heights
• Springfield( the location of the jackpot ): Willard Ice Building, 101 West Jefferson St., Illinois Department of Revenue
• Wyman Street, Rockford, 200 S.

Lottery players must visit the “When You Win” page of the Illinois Lottery website and click on the “Claim Center Appointments” button to set up a time and to claim their prizes. This route enables players to choose which facility they prefer.

People can then schedule appointments for Wednesdays through Fridays between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 o’clock, and they can block off 30 minutes for those times. They are required to don a helmet and adhere to social distance rules.

Usually, the James R. Thompson Center, at 100 W. Randolph St., in Chicago, is also an option. However, the lottery’s website states it has been closed since March 16 because of the pandemic.

The visit system reduces wait times and improves the overall effectiveness of the procedure. For the foreseeable future, that will be the only method of claiming jackpot prizes in people, according to the Illinois Lottery.

Over 1,300 claims were processed by the drawing claims department between July 1 and July 4.

Players who are anxious to send lottery winnings

In the meantime, the lottery encourages winners to claim their prizes by mail. But during a time when Illinoisans are complaining about lost mail, the concept makes many uncomfortable.

South Holland’s Lakeisha Hampton told CBS2 that Given the size of her winnings, She & rsquo is hesitant to mail her original ticket.

Hampton remarked,” Andldquo, it was for the prize.” It was about$ 250, 000, & ldquo. & rdquo,

People must mark the winning ticket’s back, make copies of both sides, and mail both the initial and the state form on the Illinois Lottery website.

Since April, our mail-in system has seen a twofold increase in output, with hundreds of players choosing it over waiting for an in-person visit. Within 3 to 4 weeks of receiving their say, many people have received their prize. We strongly advise players to give it a shot, & rdquo, said Mays.

As areas reopen next year, we at Play Illinois will keep an eye on this circumstance.