The same headline prize leaves you with very different amounts depending on where it was won. Japan charges nothing at all; the US charges federal tax and then state tax on top.
| Country | Taxed? | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | No | 0% | Act on Prize-Bearing Certificates |
| Korea | Yes (withheld) | Nil up to KRW 2m / 22% to KRW 300m / 33% above | Income Tax Act arts. 84, 129 |
| United States | Yes (withheld + filed) | 24% withheld, up to 37% federal, plus state tax | Federal tax code + state law |
Winnings are classified as other income and withheld when paid. Article 84 of the Income Tax Act exempts lottery prizes of KRW 2,000,000 or less per ticket. The widely repeated "KRW 50,000 threshold" applies to other income in general, not to lottery prizes.
Above the threshold, 22% applies up to KRW 300 million (20% income tax plus 2% local tax), and 33% applies to the portion above KRW 300 million (30% plus 3%). Only the excess is taxed at the higher rate — the whole prize is not.
Because withholding settles the liability, there is no separate annual return to file.
Federal tax is withheld at 24% on winnings above $5,000. That is a prepayment, not the final bill: the top marginal rate is 37%, and most large jackpots land in that bracket, so more is owed at filing.
State tax applies separately. Some states charge nothing, others more than 8%, so where the ticket was bought genuinely affects the amount you keep.
Non-resident foreign winners are generally withheld at 30%. And if you take the cash option you receive roughly half the advertised annuity before any tax is applied at all.
Japanese lottery winnings are not subject to income tax. The Act on Prize-Bearing Certificates provides that income tax is not levied on these prizes.
The design reasoning is that public revenue is already taken at the point of sale, so the prize is not taxed again when it is paid. Sharing a prize with family, however, can raise a separate gift-tax question.
At 22% up to that amount, roughly KRW 66 million is withheld and about KRW 234 million is paid. The 33% rate applies only to any amount above KRW 300 million.
Residents are generally taxable on worldwide income, with foreign tax credits available to relieve double taxation. How that works out in a specific case varies, so a large win warrants professional tax advice. This page is a reference summary, not tax advice.
Both Korea and the US withhold at the moment of payment. You are not billed later — the amount you receive already has tax removed.
Rules, odds, and tax treatment differ from game to game. Reading two of these side by side is the fastest way to see how much.