Has anyone won the lottery in North Dakota?
Yes! There have been some very lucky lottery winners over the years here in North Dakota. While we haven‘t had any headline-grabbing nine or 10 figure jackpot winners, our state residents have still claimed some life-changing prizes playing the lottery.
In this guide, I‘ll give you an in-depth overview of major lottery wins in ND, talk about taxes and anonymity for winners, provide tips on protecting your identity and managing your money if you get lucky, and explain how our state Powerball game works. Let‘s dive in!
Notable North Dakota Lottery Wins
Here are some of the biggest lottery prizes won by North Dakotans over the years:
October 2016 – $6.3 million Powerball
Dan and Cindy Hill from Devils Lake had a big win playing Powerball back in 2016. Their ticket with the numbers 11-13-22-27-46 and Powerball 23 ended up hitting the $6.3 million prize. This stands as the largest Powerball win our state has had.
August 2012 – $3 million Jackpot Triple Play
James Wilson, a resident of Grand Forks, won a $3 million top prize from Jackpot Triple Play back in 2012. His lucky ticket was purchased at the Speedway in East Grand Forks.
June 2018 – $1.3 million Dakota Cash
Richard Lessard of Minot had quite a windfall in 2018, winning a $1.3 million Dakota Cash jackpot prize. Lessard‘s jackpot-winning ticket was sold at Minot‘s Dakota Mart South.
October 2020 – $1 million Powerball
A Bowman County resident who wished to remain anonymous hit a $1 million prize playing Powerball. The winning ticket was purchased at Bowman Travel Center.
June 2021- $1 million Mega Millions
Darwin Klimpel of Jamestown got lucky with a Mega Millions ticket that, with the Megaplier, ended up winning him $1 million. He purchased the fortunate ticket at Stop N Go Jamestown.
While we haven‘t seen any legendary $500 million jackpot wins, North Dakotans still frequently hit substantial prizes in the hundreds of thousands or millions range playing local and multi-state lottery games.
North Dakota Lottery By The Numbers
The North Dakota lottery has been operating since 2004, providing plenty of winning opportunities for state residents. Here are some key figures on lottery performance over the past decade:
North Dakota Lottery Statistics (2011-2020)
| Year | Ticket Sales | Prizes Won | Revenue | Transfers to State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $28.1 million | $17.1 million | $10.2 million | $8.5 million |
| 2019 | $30.4 million | $18.4 million | $11.1 million | $9.4 million |
| 2018 | $32.3 million | $19.7 million | $11.8 million | $10.1 million |
| 2017 | $32.6 million | $20.0 million | $11.8 million | $10.1 million |
| 2016 | $31.2 million | $19.2 million | $11.3 million | $9.6 million |
| 2015 | $29.8 million | $18.4 million | $10.7 million | $9.1 million |
| 2014 | $28.9 million | $17.8 million | $10.4 million | $8.8 million |
| 2013 | $27.6 million | $17.0 million | $9.9 million | $8.4 million |
| 2012 | $25.6 million | $15.7 million | $9.2 million | $7.8 million |
| 2011 | $22.9 million | $14.1 million | $8.2 million | $7.0 million |
As you can see, the ND lottery has brought in over $200 million for the state government over the past decade through ticket sales and revenue. And tens of millions more has been awarded to lucky ND residents in the form of prize winnings!
Taxes On ND Lottery Winnings
I want to make sure I mention the tax side of things too. While winning the lottery is incredibly exciting, you do need to plan for the tax implications, especially if you score a really big prize.
All lottery winnings here in North Dakota are subject to federal income taxes, and also state income taxes for residents. If you‘re lucky enough to win a jackpot, you can expect to pay taxes on the full amount at your ordinary income tax rate, which could be as high as 37% federally.
The state also requires mandatory income tax withholding on prizes over $5,000. And if you live in Fargo, Grand Forks or Minot, your city may tax a portion of lottery winnings as well.
I‘d advise any big winners to immediately consult a financial advisor and accountant to sort out estimated taxes and plan appropriately. You definitely don‘t want to get stuck with a huge tax bill you can‘t afford! Proper planning is key.
Claiming Lottery Prizes Anonymously in ND
Now, you may be wondering if you can claim lottery wins anonymously here in North Dakota. The answer is yes! Our state does allow you to keep your identity private under certain conditions.
If you want to remain anonymous as a winner, you‘ll need to claim your prize through a trust rather than as an individual. By setting up an appropriate trust and naming a trustee, your identity can be shielded throughout the claims process.
The ND lottery may still need to release some basic information publicly, like the location where the winning ticket was sold. However, your personal identifying details, address, etc. can be kept completely confidential by using a trust.
I‘d recommend hiring a lawyer to help you establish the proper trust vehicle to claim your winnings anonymously and avoid any issues. While you can certainly claim as yourself, for substantial sums, the trust method is a great option if you value privacy.
Tips For ND Lottery Winners
Let‘s say you just found out you won a major lottery prize here in North Dakota. Congratulations! That‘s incredibly exciting. Here are my tips for making the most of your sudden windfall:
- Keep it quiet at first – Don‘t go spreading the news far and wide just yet. Keep your win private while you make careful plans.
- Get professional advice – Speak to a financial planner, lawyer, and accountant to figure out your next steps.
- Decide if you will claim anonymously – Determine if you want to claim through a trust to remain anonymous.
- Pay off debts – Eliminate any burdensome debt so it can‘t eat into your newfound money.
- Set up a trust – Have your advisor help you establish a trust to manage the funds responsibly.
- Create a budget – Make a budget so you don‘t spend recklessly. Allow modest monthly drawings.
- Be selective about sharing news – Only share details with those in your inner circle who need to know.
- Invest wisely – Put the bulk of funds into conservative investment vehicles versus spending right away.
- Give back – Donate some of your winnings to a cause important to you.
Following these tips will help you responsibly manage your lottery winnings for maximum benefit now and into the future. I want to see you put that money to good use!
How To Play (And Win) Powerball in ND
Since this guide is focused on lottery wins in North Dakota, let me provide some quick details on how our state‘s Powerball game works:
- Powerball drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday evening.
- To play, you‘ll select five main numbers between 1 and 69, and one Powerball number from 1 to 26.
- To win the multimillion dollar jackpot, you‘ll need to match all five numbers and the Powerball.
- You can also win smaller prizes (between $4 – $1 million) by matching some numbers.
- An optional $1 Power Play feature can multiply smaller prize amounts.
- Jackpots start at $20 million and keep growing until someone wins.
- The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are around 1 in 24. The jackpot odds are about 1 in 292 million.
While the chances of hitting the jackpot are incredibly slim, it‘s still exciting to play Powerball with the possibility of becoming an instant millionaire! North Dakotans have won $3 million and $6.3 million playing Powerball so far. Maybe you‘ll be next!
I hope this guide gave you some helpful insights on lottery wins in our state. Even though we haven‘t had a mega jackpot winner yet, many residents have still claimed amazing prizes over the years. Don‘t forget to grab your Powerball tickets and test your luck! You just never know when fortune may strike. Thanks for reading and best of luck!