About Our Games
The South Carolina Education Lottery offers two types of games, Scratch-Offs and Terminal Generated Games. Players must be 18 years of age or older and pay cash for tickets. Tickets are available at lottery retailers across the state.
Scratch-off ticket costs range from $1 to $20. Scratch the latex-covered area to reveal the play area. Follow the instructions, and look for a special feature or a bonus area that may be part of the ticket. Some scratch-offs offer a second-chance promotion that allows you to enter for a drawing or promotion. Each game that is eligible for a second-chance promotion will have instructions on how to enter and prize information on the back of the ticket. Lottery retailers will validate winning tickets. Players have 90 days after the last day to sell an instant ticket to redeem a prize. The official end of game notice will be posted at retail locations as well as on sceducationlottery.com. New games are introduced each month, usually on the first Tuesday.
The Lottery offers several terminal generated games: Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL, Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL, CASH POP, Palmetto Cash 5, Mega Millions®, & Powerball®. Players can pick their own numbers or opt for a quick pick and then check their tickets following a scheduled drawing. For these games, prizes must be claimed within 180 days after the draw date on the ticket.
Players can join the Lottery’s Players’ Club to participate in the Players' Club REWARDS program. It’s free to join. With REWARDS, players can enter all of their lottery tickets, winning and non-winning scratch-offs and draw games, using the Lottery’s app or website to earn "SCEL COIN 
." Redeem your “SCEL COIN ” to enter weekly, monthly and quarterly drawings for a chance to win cash and other fun prizes. Click here to login and redeem "SCEL COIN ."
Winning Numbers
Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL, Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL, CASH POP, Palmetto Cash 5, Mega Millions®, and Powerball® drawings are broadcast live on the Lottery’s draw partner stations. Winning numbers will be posted on the Lottery’s website and available to print out at lottery retailers following a scheduled drawing.
Drawing Days & Times
Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL: 12:59 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. Daily
(No midday drawings held on Sundays or Christmas Day. Midday drawings are not televised.)
Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL: 12:59 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. Daily
(No midday drawings held on Sundays or Christmas Day. Midday drawings are not televised.)
CASH POP: 12:59 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. Daily
(No midday drawings held on Sundays or Christmas Day. Midday drawings are not televised.)
Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. Daily
Powerball®: 10:59 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays
Mega Millions®: 11:00 p.m. Tuesdays & Fridays
Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL, Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL, CASH POP and Palmetto Cash 5 drawings are held at the Studio-on-Main, the Lottery’s draw studio in Columbia, SC. Powerball® drawings are held in Tallahassee, FL. Mega Millions® drawings are held in Atlanta, GA. All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.
Lottery Draw Partner Stations
WCSC, CBS, Charleston
WLTX, CBS, Columbia
WHNS, FOX, Greenville/Spartanburg
WRDW-TV, CBS, Aiken/Augusta
WMBF, NBC, Florence/Myrtle Beach
WMYT, MNT, Rock Hill/Charlotte
WHHI-TV, Hilton Head
Claim Your Winnings
Sign it NOW! After purchasing tickets, please SIGN the back of the ticket legibly. Signing the ticket helps to protect you in the event the ticket is stolen or misplaced.
1 At authorized lottery retailers
Any lottery winnings up to and including $500 can be redeemed at any authorized lottery retailer. Players are encouraged to sign tickets before presenting the ticket for validation. Retailers can payout in cash, store check, money order, or a combination of those three.
2 By mail
Winnings of $100,000 or less may be redeemed by mail.
The back of the winning ticket must be signed. Winnings in excess of $500 must be accompanied by an official lottery claim form (.pdf) available at sceducationlottery.com. Claim forms are also available at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. A copy of a picture identification card (driver’s license, state or military I.D., or passport) is required for all winnings over $500.
To claim winnings of $100,000 or less via mail, please send in your ticket to the following address:
SC Education Lottery
P.O. Box 11039
Columbia, SC 29211-1039
The risk of mailing tickets remains with the player. Registered mail is recommended. Winnings over $100,000 must be claimed in person at the Columbia Claims Center. Having a photocopy of a winning ticket will provide a record if the ticket is lost in the mail or misplaced.
3 At the Columbia Claims Center
Any winning ticket may be redeemed at the Columbia Claims Center. For winnings up to and including $500, please sign the ticket back. For winning amounts in excess of $500, players must provide: (1) a completed claim form; (2) a copy of picture identification (driver’s license, state or military I.D., or passport); and (3) a signature on the winning ticket. Winning tickets in excess of $100,000 must be brought in person to the Columbia Claims Center for redemption.
Please note, depending on the amount of your winnings, SCEL will withhold South Carolina taxes and federal tax laws apply. Players have 90 days after the official end of a scratch-off game to redeem a ticket. Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL, Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL, CASH POP, Palmetto Cash 5, Mega Millions® and Powerball® tickets can be redeemed up to 180 days after the draw date printed on the ticket.
The Columbia Claims Center is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. (Except for holidays) Players should arrive before 4 p.m. to allow time for verification.
HOLIDAYS RECOGNIZED BY SCEL
January 1—New Year’s Day
Last Monday in May—National Memorial Day
July 4—Independence Day
First Monday in September—Labor Day
National Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after
December 24—Christmas Eve
December 25—Christmas Day (No Midday drawing)
December 26—The Day after Christmas
Whenever any of these fall on Sunday, the Monday following is typically prescribed, and whenever any of these fall on Saturday, the preceding Friday is typically prescribed.
There are four holidays when our Claims Center is open but ONLY processing claims for less than $5,000.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Presidents Day
Confederate Memorial Day
Veterans Day
Our Columbia Claims Center is located at:
Columbia Claims Center
1309 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: 803-253-4004
Where to Buy
Lottery tickets can only be purchased in South Carolina. All lottery retailers are located within the state. While a majority of lottery tickets are sold at convenience stores, lottery tickets can also be purchased at some grocery stores, package stores and newsstands in the state. Tickets must be purchased with cash, and retailers will redeem winning tickets up to and including $500 as required by contract.
PLAY RESPONSIBLY
The South Carolina Education Lottery encourages our players to play responsibly.
SCEL and the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) have teamed up in support of increased public awareness of the availability and benefits of problem gambling treatment. This effort is designed to help educate the public about the warning signs of problem gambling and where to call to obtain treatment services. Conspicuous signage and printed literature available at all retail locations, along with television and radio public service announcements are all ways SCEL encourages responsible play.
Managed by DAODAS, the South Carolina Gambling Helpline is toll-free at 1-877-452-5155. This helpline is available to assist individuals and families affected by problem and compulsive gambling. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, treatment is not only available, but also effective in improving the lives of problem gamblers and their families.