Maryland State Government Section 9-122

      (a)      The regulations of the Agency shall provide for winning tickets to be drawn at least once a week.

      (b)      (1)      Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, § 10-113.1 of the Family Law Article, and § 11-618 of the Criminal Procedure Article, a prize won under this subtitle is not assignable.

            (2)      If the prize winner dies before the prize is paid, the prize may be paid to the estate of the prize winner.

            (3)      Under appropriate court order, a prize won under this subtitle may be paid to a person other than the winner.

      (c)      A licensed agent may pay in cash game prizes of not more than $5,000.

      (d)      (1)      In this subsection, the words "bank" and "guardian" and references to a "member" of a "minor's family" have the meanings stated in § 13-301 of the Estates and Trusts Article.

            (2)      If a minor wins a prize of less than $5,000, the Director may give a draft, as provided for in rules and regulations of the Agency payable to the order of the minor, to:

                  (i)      an adult member of the minor's family; or

                  (ii)      a guardian of the minor.

            (3)      If a minor wins $5,000 or more, the Director may deposit the prize in a bank to the credit of 1 of the following, as custodian for the minor:

                  (i)      an adult member of the minor's family; or

                  (ii)      a guardian of the minor.

            (4)      A custodian under paragraph (3) of this subsection has the same powers and duties as a custodian under the Maryland Uniform Transfers to Minors Act.

      (e)      On payment of a prize in accordance with this section, the Director is discharged of all liability.

      (f)      (1)      A prize winner shall claim a prize within 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won.

            (2)      Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Director shall keep an unclaimed prize:

                  (i)      for 182 days after the drawing in which the prize is won, for payment of the winner; and

                  (ii)      then in an unclaimed prize fund for use for other prizes.

            (3)      For a game that the Agency designates as a bonus game or drawing and that is not a daily or weekly State lottery drawing, the period for claiming a prize may differ from the period set in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

      (g)      (1)      Unless otherwise specifically provided by the laws of the State, and except for prizes paid for any multistate lottery game, the State and every officer, department, agency, board, commission, or other unit of State government may not raise the defense of sovereign immunity in the courts of the State in an action in contract brought by an annuitant or prize winner that is based on the liability of the State to pay an annuitant or prize winner the prize that the annuitant is entitled to receive in accordance with this subtitle and any regulations adopted under this subtitle.

            (2)      Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State may raise the defense of sovereign immunity to a contract action brought by an annuitant or prize winner of any multistate lottery game, for any claim that exceeds $200,000.