This article covers some of the most basic questions without having to scour the internet for answers.
1. What is Ithuba?
Ithuba is the current National Lottery operator in South Africa. It is the company which is responsible for both conducting and delivering lottery games. There is only one company at a time which can facilitate the National Lottery and the licence is renewed every five years. This provides other companies the chance to facilitate it. Ithuba has been operating the National Lottery since 2015.
2. How old must you be to participate in the SA LOTTO?
You must be 18 years of age, or older, to participate in any lotteries or forms of gambling in South Africa.
3. On what days, and at what time do the draws take place?
SA LOTTO draws take place every Wednesday and Saturday at 20h56 South African Standard Time (SAST).
4. When do ticket sales close?
Ticket sales for SA LOTTO close at 20h30 SAST on the day that the draw takes place.
5. How can I watch the live draws?
Live draws are held on a variety of TV channels and there are numerous sites, such as online providers, who offer live streaming of the event.
6. How and where can I purchase tickets?
There are several ways through which tickets can be purchased. They can be purchased through a participating retailer, through online providers, and even through your bank.
7. How can I find my nearest participating lotto retailer?
There are more than 8,000 registered participating retailers across South Africa. To find a specific retailer, you can use a Store Locater on a participating online provider’s website which will show you the list of options closest to your location.
8. How do I claim if I have won a prize?
There are numerous ways through which you can claim should you have won a prize. It will depend on whether you purchased a ticket through a retailer, via your bank, via an online provider, or via your phone.
9. How long do I have to claim a LOTTO prize?
From the date of the winning draw, you have 365 days to claim your winnings.
10. How long does it take for my prize money to be paid out?
This will depend on the amount of money that you have won. Prizes up to R5,000 are paid in cash immediately should you collect your prize from a participating retailer. Prizes between R2,000 and R49,999.99 can be claimed from a post office and will be paid through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by cheque.
EFTs will be processed within 72 hours while cheques can take up to 10 working days. Prizes of R50,000.00 and more can only be collected from one of Ithuba’s regional offices and require the completion of an official Price Claim Form. This form must be taken to the offices by the winner so that the entry and identity of the winner can be verified before the winnings are paid out.
