Scratch Lottery Tickets

[gigi]

Did you know that scratch off tickets can continue to be sold even after all the big prizes are won?  It's only on the fine print of the ticket, which you can't even read until after you purchase it.  In Illinois from mid November to mid march the lottery sold more than 3 million instant game tickets costing players more than $20 million for games that no longer had any top prize available (Tribune's analysts of lottery records).  Illinois (my state) is probably the worst because they don't even have the money to pay winners.  Not sure if that ever got resolved, but many Illinois winners have not received payouts.

Good news (again not for Illinois because they are 2 weeks behind in updates) there are web sites for your state where you can actually check to see which scratch off tickets still have big prizes left.  just google your state and top prizes remaining

You're welcome

[Mayhem]

They actually have this warning in fairly big print on the large prize scratch tickets here in Canada.

[gigi]

They actually have this warning in fairly big print on the large prize scratch tickets here in Canada.

Figures LOL

[Mayhem]

Also once all the grand prize(s) in a particular scratch game have been claimed, they will pull those tickets off shelves and throw a new batch on.

Does the states do that as well? or do they sell them until they are completely gone?

[Squid]

I've never heard any of this.  Makes me glad I don't play scratchers.

[Mayhem]

I rarely buy them myself - but when I do, I get the "set for life" scratch tickets. It costs $5 and you have a chance of winning $1,000 / week for 25 years. People are winning this prize all the time, so I like to give it a shot once in a while.

[Squid]

That would be a great prize.... always having money coming in.

[gigi]

Also once all the grand prize(s) in a particular scratch game have been claimed, they will pull those tickets off shelves and throw a new batch on.

Does the states do that as well? or do they sell them until they are completely gone?

it varies from state to state.  Illinois keeps selling until they are gone................. just read Indiana at some point will pull their tickets before the big wins are bought.  I haven't checked the other states, but the fine print says it's all legal.......... scratch off are state by state as far as I know.  Illinois ran out of $ so ppl aren't getting their winnings.  Very corrupt in my opinion.  So far the big Lotto is still paying, not much they can do once the numbers are drawn, you either win or you don't.   I won't buy scratch off tickets............ don't usually except when I like to put them in cards for the kids on special occasions.................. no more 

[gran2x2]

I never knock scratch tickets...Hubs won 10g's one time and 5 another....He is lottery lucky..he wins all the time playing lottery ...I happily spend it too....lol

[Squid]

Good for you, Gran!   Tell Hubs to send some of that luck my way!  Have fun spending!

[gigi]

I never knock scratch tickets...Hubs won 10g's one time and 5 another....He is lottery lucky..he wins all the time playing lottery ...I happily spend it too....lol

Lucky ducks!!!!  But it is a lot of fun "knowing" someone who actually won more than $2.  The most my husband gets is what he spent, so IF he wins, it's a wash.

[gran2x2]

The 10k was in 1997..lol..I remember cuz we spent a  lot of it to furnish a nursery for our first granchild...

[gigi]

money well spent

[Squid]