How much tax does West Virginia take from lottery winnings?

West Virginia withholds 6.5% (The statutory rate; the Tax Division's 2026 guide says 4.58%). 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia?

The cheque is $6,950: $2,400 withheld federally and $650 for West Virginia. After the federal return, a single filer earning $50,000 keeps about $8,150.

How much would a Powerball jackpot winner keep in West Virginia?

On the $716 million jackpot for the October 28, 2026 drawing, a single winner taking the $307.2 million cash option keeps about $174 million after federal tax at filing and West Virginia's 6.5%. That ranks 37 of 46 lotteries. Every state, side by side.

Where do I claim a big prize in West Virginia?

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

West Virginia Lottery Taxes

West Virginia withholds 6.5% from lottery prizes (The statutory rate; the Tax Division's 2026 guide says 4.58%), on top of the federal 24% on prizes over $5,000. A Powerball jackpot winner taking the cash here keeps about $174 million of $307.2 million.

Source for West Virginia's rate: W. Va. Code 11-21-77 (code.wvlegislature.gov), checked October 18, 2026. The statute sets 6.5%; the Tax Division's June 2026 guide (TSD 432) gives 4.58%.

What a prize is worth in West Virginia

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

$10,000 prize

$8,150

kept after the federal return

Federal withheld: $2,400
West Virginia withheld: $650
Cheque: $6,950
Federal tax on it: $1,200

$1,000,000 prize

$600,320

kept after the federal return

Federal withheld: $240,000
West Virginia withheld: $65,000
Cheque: $695,000
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. West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia:

Cheque

$213.5 million

after 24% federal and 6.5% state withheld

Kept after filing

$173.6 million

top federal rate 37%

Annuity, first year

$6.1 million

after tax, 30 payments rising 5% a year

Rank

37 of 46

lotteries, by what a winner keeps

What the same jackpot leaves a winner in every state · West Virginia 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 West Virginia's rate already in it. Claiming a prize, and the tax that comes with it covers claim deadlines and what to do first.

West Virginia lottery tax questions

How much tax does West Virginia take from lottery winnings?: West Virginia withholds 6.5% (The statutory rate; the Tax Division's 2026 guide says 4.58%). 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia?: The cheque is $6,950: $2,400 withheld federally and $650 for West Virginia. After the federal return, a single filer earning $50,000 keeps about $8,150.
How much would a Powerball jackpot winner keep in West Virginia?: On the $716 million jackpot for the October 28, 2026 drawing, a single winner taking the $307.2 million cash option keeps about $174 million after federal tax at filing and West Virginia's 6.5%. That ranks 37 of 46 lotteries. Every state, side by side.
Where do I claim a big prize in West Virginia?: At West Virginia Lottery, which must pay a prize on a ticket it sold; a ticket bought in West Virginia is claimed there whatever state you live in. wvlottery.com lists its claim centres and deadlines.

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