Winning the lottery is a dream that everyone has at least once in their lives. Picturing their lives instantly transformed by the endless possibilities that arise from the millions of pounds they win. However, for those lucky enough to actually win a lottery, the thrill of winning usually then leads to concerns about when they will be compensated and just how much of the actual figure they can actually take home.
In the UK gambling is big business, with online gambling in particular leading that charge. However, with all restrictions and stringent regulations set by the UK Gambling Commission, this means that most local lottery premises cannot provide same-day payouts to players who win. In fact, typical processing times for winnings take days and even more than a week in some cases.
This has placed payout times of gambling platforms in the spotlight among players. It’s also why many online gamblers from the UK have been flocking to offshore instant casinos as these offer immediate withdrawals that can be processed in a matter of minutes at the most. As a result, with these sites’ quick withdrawal time, you can withdraw instantly and not have to sit through agonising waits for what you’ve lawfully earned. This is largely down to the fact that such platforms offer the use of cryptocurrencies as a payment method, in addition to traditional payment methods.
However, unfortunately, when it comes to lotteries, different rules apply, meaning that these kinds of payment systems cannot be used. The reality is that winning the lottery often has a complicated waiting time, which can vary depending on the factors we highlight below.
Firstly, for most lottery winners, the time it takes to receive their winnings depends on the amount they’ve won, the lottery’s specific policies, and even their location. The National Lottery requires a person to call and claim their winnings if they have won more than £50,000, but if they play online, they will receive an email about their winnings.
That being said, the process becomes longer and more complicated the more the cash prize is because the next step is getting the winning ticket verified. This means that a National Lottery expert will have to visit your house to see the ticket and then deliver the winnings once it has passed all internal checks.
As for regular traditional betting parlours, they usually provide immediate payouts upon production of the winning ticket. If the amount is large, ID verification or other quick checks may be required but still result in same-day payouts.
However, if the amount is extremely significant, it may necessitate longer checks and even the involvement of the company’s head office before payment is made. This can take some time depending on the establishment involved and their internal processes.
However, for lottery winners, it can be even more complicated as their winnings have to be taxed first too. All of these processes add up to much longer waiting times for winners of large sums. Meanwhile, although winners of smaller amounts previously only had to wait a few days, new rules mean the timeline has increased enormously.
Winning the lottery can be a dream. However, the reality of having to wait for the money can also reduce that thrill significantly at first. In short, winners of lotteries should therefore be aware that if your winnings are above £50,000, you may have to wait weeks to get your money.
Brian Smithson 
