When someone wins the lottery, the state Division of Child Support is the first in line.

This year, the Washington State Lottery has collected about $500,000 from lottery prize money to pay state debts, including $340,000 in unpaid child support.

For instance, one Lotto winner has had at least $41,600 withheld from his annual prize money checks for child support in recent years, said lottery spokesman Richard Paulson.

“I’ve talked with him about it, and he’s relieved to be able to pay his child support debt this way,” he said.

Most of the winners are happy to get the debt out of the way, Paulson said.

“I haven’t talked with any who have been upset,” he said.

Lottery officials have also collected on overpaid welfare claims - mainly food stamps - and for debts owed the state Department of Employment Security.

Collecting for state agencies began in 1986 after the Legislature passed a law creating the program and a set of procedures. Each month, lottery officials check Social Security numbers of winners of $600 or more against computer files provided by state agencies.