How much tax does Colorado take from lottery winnings?

Colorado withholds 4% (prizes over $5,000). That is withholding, paid on your behalf before the cheque is written; what you finally owe the state is settled on your return.

Do I pay federal tax on a Colorado lottery prize?

Yes. The lottery withholds 24% for the IRS when the prize, less the ticket, is over $5,000, and reports prizes of $2,000 or more on Form W-2G. A large prize is taxed at up to 37% at filing, so the 24% is rarely the end of it: on a $1,000,000 prize a single filer earning $50,000 owes about $334,680 more federally, $94,680 more than was withheld.

How much of a $10,000 lottery prize do you keep in Colorado?

The cheque is $7,200: $2,400 withheld federally and $400 for Colorado. After the federal return, a single filer earning $50,000 keeps about $8,400.

How much would a Powerball jackpot winner keep in Colorado?

On the $716 million jackpot for the October 28, 2026 drawing, a single winner taking the $307.2 million cash option keeps about $181 million after federal tax at filing and Colorado's 4%. That ranks 22 of 46 lotteries. Every state, side by side.

Where do I claim a big prize in Colorado?

At Colorado Lottery, which must pay a prize on a ticket it sold; a ticket bought in Colorado is claimed there whatever state you live in. coloradolottery.com lists its claim centres and deadlines.

Colorado Lottery Taxes

Colorado withholds 4% from lottery prizes (prizes over $5,000), on top of the federal 24% on prizes over $5,000. A Powerball jackpot winner taking the cash here keeps about $181 million of $307.2 million.

Source for Colorado's rate: Colorado Lottery FAQ (coloradolottery.com), checked October 18, 2026.

What a prize is worth in Colorado

Three prizes, as the cheque is written and after the federal return. The return is a single filer earning $50,000 besides the prize, with the 2026 brackets and standard deduction; other income changes the bill, which is what the calculator is for. What you finally owe Colorado is worked out on its own return at its own income-tax rates, so the state line here is the withholding.

$1,000 prize

$880

kept after the federal return

Federal withheld: $0
Colorado withheld: $0
Cheque: $1,000
Federal tax on it: $120

$10,000 prize

$8,400

kept after the federal return

Federal withheld: $2,400
Colorado withheld: $400
Cheque: $7,200
Federal tax on it: $1,200

$1,000,000 prize

$625,320

kept after the federal return

Federal withheld: $240,000
Colorado withheld: $40,000
Cheque: $720,000
Federal tax on it: $334,680

A $1,000 prize has nothing withheld federally and is under the $2,000 at which the lottery reports it on Form W-2G, but it is still taxable income. Colorado starts withholding on prizes over $5,000. The withholding is a deposit against the federal bill, not the bill: on $1,000,000 the 24% falls $94,680 short, and on $1,000, with nothing withheld, about $120 is still owed.

The Powerball jackpot after Colorado tax

The advertised Powerball jackpot for the October 28, 2026 drawing is $716 million, or $307.2 million as a lump sum. A single winner taking the cash in Colorado:

Cheque

$221.2 million

after 24% federal and 4% state withheld

Kept after filing

$181.3 million

top federal rate 37%

Annuity, first year

$6.4 million

after tax, 30 payments rising 5% a year

Rank

22 of 46

lotteries, by what a winner keeps

What the same jackpot leaves a winner in every state · Colorado Powerball: add-ons and what a ticket is worth here

The federal rules, the same in every state

24% is withheld for the IRS when a prize, less the ticket, is over $5,000.
A prize of $2,000 or more (and at least 300 times the ticket) is reported on Form W-2G. The threshold was $600 until 2025.
Without a Social Security number on file, 24% backup withholding applies from the reporting threshold. A winner who is not a US resident has 30% withheld.
Every prize is taxable income, reported or not. A jackpot is taxed at up to 37% at filing.

Source: IRS, Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (2026).

Work out your own number

The lottery tax calculator takes any prize, lump sum or annuity, filing status and state, with Colorado's rate already in it. Claiming a prize, and the tax that comes with it covers claim deadlines and what to do first.

Colorado lottery tax questions

How much tax does Colorado take from lottery winnings?: Colorado withholds 4% (prizes over $5,000). That is withholding, paid on your behalf before the cheque is written; what you finally owe the state is settled on your return.
Do I pay federal tax on a Colorado lottery prize?: Yes. The lottery withholds 24% for the IRS when the prize, less the ticket, is over $5,000, and reports prizes of $2,000 or more on Form W-2G. A large prize is taxed at up to 37% at filing, so the 24% is rarely the end of it: on a $1,000,000 prize a single filer earning $50,000 owes about $334,680 more federally, $94,680 more than was withheld.
How much of a $10,000 lottery prize do you keep in Colorado?: The cheque is $7,200: $2,400 withheld federally and $400 for Colorado. After the federal return, a single filer earning $50,000 keeps about $8,400.
How much would a Powerball jackpot winner keep in Colorado?: On the $716 million jackpot for the October 28, 2026 drawing, a single winner taking the $307.2 million cash option keeps about $181 million after federal tax at filing and Colorado's 4%. That ranks 22 of 46 lotteries. Every state, side by side.
Where do I claim a big prize in Colorado?: At Colorado Lottery, which must pay a prize on a ticket it sold; a ticket bought in Colorado is claimed there whatever state you live in. coloradolottery.com lists its claim centres and deadlines.

Lottery tax calculator Colorado lottery results Colorado scratch games Powerball jackpot after tax Methodology Sources