Lottery winnings tax in Virginia
Virginia Lottery prizes under $600 are exempt. Prizes of $600 or more are fully taxable, and other states' lottery prizes get no exemption.
On a $50,000 lottery win, $14,000 is withheld at payout. The tax comes to $13,225 ($10,350 federal and $2,875 Virginia), and you get $775 back when you file, so you keep $36,775. That's for a single filer with $60,000 of other income and no gambling losses.
Updated · 2026 tax rules · How we calculate
You keep
$36,775
Cash at payout
$36,000
Total tax
$13,225
Over-withheld
$775
- Form W-2G
- Yes
- Federal withholding at payout
- $12,000
- Federal tax on the winnings
- $10,350
- State tax
- $2,875
- Virginia withholding at payout
- $2,000
- Over-withheld
- $775
- You keep
- $36,775
$50,000 is at or above the $2,000 reporting threshold, so the payer files a W-2G with the IRS and gives you a copy.
The payer holds back 24% of winnings over $5,000 and sends it to the IRS. It's a prepayment, not the final tax.
Winnings are ordinary income stacked on your other $60,000. Your top dollar lands in the 22% bracket.
Virginia taxes gambling winnings as ordinary income.
Virginia requires the payer to hold back 4% for state tax.
More was withheld than these winnings add to your tax. The difference reduces what you owe on the rest of your return, or comes back as a refund.
$50,000 minus $13,225 in federal and state tax: an effective rate of 26.5%.
An estimate for 2026, not tax advice. It treats this win as your only gambling income for the year and leaves out local income taxes. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
The rules
- Virginia tax
- Virginia Lottery prizes under $600 are exempt. Prizes of $600 or more are fully taxable, and other states' lottery prizes get no exemption.[1]
- Federal tax form
- Lottery prizes of $2,000 or more that are at least 300 times the ticket price are reported on a W-2G. The threshold was $600 before 2026.[2]
- Federal withholding
- 24% is withheld from lottery prizes of more than $5,000 (minus the ticket price). No 300x test applies to lotteries.[4]
- Virginia withholding
- Virginia withholds 4% on lottery winnings over $5,000.[5]Unverified
- Gambling losses
- You can deduct losses, up to your winnings, only as an itemized deduction on Virginia Schedule A, and only if you itemized on your federal return. From 2026 Virginia uses the federal amount, so only 90% of losses count.[7] How the federal 90% loss rule works
- Visitors
- Virginia taxes nonresidents on lottery winnings won there, so visitors may need to file a nonresident return.[12]
- Where to play
- Virginia runs a state lottery.[13]Unverified
What you keep at different amounts
For a single filer with $60,000 of other income and no gambling losses, living and winning in Virginia.
| Won | W-2G | Withheld | Federal tax | State tax | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | No | $0 | $180 | $86 | $1,234 |
| $2,000 | Yes | $0 | $240 | $115 | $1,645 |
| $10,000 | Yes | $2,800 | $1,550 | $575 | $7,875 |
| $50,000 | Yes | $14,000 | $10,350 | $2,875 | $36,775 |
| $100,000 | Yes | $28,000 | $22,114 | $5,750 | $72,136 |
Assumes a $2 ticket price, so the 300x test is met at every amount shown.
Records to keep for lottery winnings
Prizes are measured net of the ticket price. Nearly any prize large enough to report clears the 300x test.
Losses only count if you can prove them. For lottery winnings, the IRS suggests keeping:[11]
- Your ticket purchases, with dates, winnings and losses
- Unredeemed tickets, payment slips and winnings statements
All of this goes alongside the diary the IRS expects for every kind of gambling: keeping gambling records the IRS will accept.
Questions
- How much is Virginia tax on lottery winnings?
- Virginia Lottery prizes under $600 are exempt. Prizes of $600 or more are fully taxable, and other states' lottery prizes get no exemption.[1]
- Does Virginia withhold tax from lottery winnings?
- Virginia withholds 4% on lottery winnings over $5,000.[5]Unverified
- Do visitors pay Virginia tax on lottery winnings?
- Virginia taxes nonresidents on lottery winnings won there, so visitors may need to file a nonresident return.[12]
More for Virginia
All of Virginia's gambling tax rules · Lottery in every state
Sources
- [1] 23VAC10-140-281, Income taxation of lottery prizes · checked September 22, 2026
- [2] IRS, Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (01/2026) · checked September 22, 2026
- [3] Federal Register, REG-113229-25 proposed rule (Apr. 17, 2026) · checked September 22, 2026
- [4] 26 U.S. Code § 3402 (withholding) · checked September 22, 2026
- [5] Virginia Lottery, How To Claim a Prize · checked September 22, 2026
- [6] Virginia Income Tax Withholding Guide for Employers · checked September 22, 2026
- [7] Va. Code § 58.1-322.03. Virginia taxable income of residents; deductions · checked October 2, 2026
- [8] Va. Code § 58.1-301. Conformity to Internal Revenue Code · checked October 2, 2026
- [9] Virginia Tax Bulletin 26-1 (February 20, 2026): Fixed-date IRC conformity of December 31, 2025 · checked October 2, 2026
- [10] Virginia 2025 Schedule A Instructions · checked October 2, 2026
- [11] IRS, Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions · checked September 28, 2026
- [12] Va. Code § 58.1-302, Income and deductions from Virginia sources · checked September 22, 2026