How to claim a sweepstakes prize

Last reviewed September 2026 · researched from primary sources. Not legal or tax advice — see our Disclaimer.

You have been notified you won. What happens next is paperwork, a deadline, and eventually a tax form — but never a request for money from you.

Step by step

1. Confirm the notice is real. It should come through the contact details you entered with, reference the actual sweepstakes, and point to the official rules. A message asking for payment or bank login is a scam — see the warning signs.
2. Respond before the deadline. Rules typically give you 5–30 days. Miss it and the prize goes to an alternate winner.
3. Complete the affidavit of eligibility and liability release. This is a signed, sometimes notarized statement that you met the rules. For larger prizes a publicity release is often included.
4. Provide a Form W-9. The sponsor needs your legal name and Social Security number to report the prize. This is normal; a scammer asking for a W-9 is unusual, but one asking for your online banking password is not.
5. Arrange delivery. Cash prizes come by check or transfer; goods are shipped or picked up; trips and vehicles have their own handoff.
6. Watch for the 1099-MISC in January for any prize of $600 or more, and report it on your return.

What it should never involve

• Paying a fee, “taxes in advance,” insurance, or shipping to release the prize.
• Sending money by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency.
• Depositing a check the sponsor sent and wiring part of it back.

If you cannot afford the tax on the prize

For a large non-cash prize, the tax can arrive with no cash to pay it. Options include taking a cash alternative if offered, selling the prize, or setting up an IRS payment plan. Talk to a tax professional before the claim deadline.

Sources: standard U.S. sweepstakes official-rules practice; IRS Form W-9 and 1099-MISC guidance; FTC prize-scam guidance.