A large number of players attempted to claim prizes yesterday as the Illinois Lottery opened the doors at four of its five Claim Centers to the public for the first time in over three months.
Hundreds of players were successful, however maximum capacity at each center was quickly reached leaving some who arrived unable to reserve a place in line to submit their claim.
The extended closure of the centers has led to a large build-up of unclaimed prizes, and each center can only process so many claims in a day while adhering to new safety protocols.
The Lottery is encouraging players who can wait a little longer to claim their prize to please do so, as high volumes and long wait times are expected over the next few weeks. Players can still send in their claim by mail and instructions can be found on the Illinois Lottery website.
We apologize for any inconvenience experienced and appreciate the patience and understanding of our players as we aim to continuously improve our processes.
