How to Win Big with Scratch Offs: 12 Tricks

Legally "game the system" with scratch offs to get one step closer to a huge cash prize

Co-authored by Madeleine Flamiano

Last Updated: January 24, 2023 References Approved

Buying Smart

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Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Budgeting for Games

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

The mystery of scratch-off tickets is what makes them so thrilling and fun—are all those tickets you scooped up a bust, or will you win big? While there's no way to know for sure until you scratch them off and reveal their secrets, there are some tricks to help you purchase the best scratch offs. Here's one thing you can bank on: we'll help you get an edge over everyone else. So, buy responsibly and get ready for some scratch off games that might really pay off.

Things You Should Know

Buy more expensive tickets (responsibly) for better odds of winning.
Choose scratch offs with the best odds of winning, which can be found in the fine print on the ticket. Some games might have a 1:5 chance of winning, while others can have a 1:20 chance.
Purchase multiple tickets to increase your chances of winning.
Hold onto your losing tickets in case your game runs a second-chance lotto.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Buying Smart

1
Buy more expensive tickets for better odds. Scratch off lotto games are all different and have varying probabilities, styles, and designs, but the easiest way to set them apart is by price. Typically, scratch off tickets cost between $1 USD-$20 USD apiece, depending on the game and where you live. The cheaper tickets have lower payouts and a low percentage of winners. More expensive tickets (i.e., those that are $5 USD and up) not only have higher payouts but also a higher percentage of winners: it has a higher jackpot, and cash prizes are spread out among more people.^{[1]
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- In other words, a $1 USD ticket might be super cheap, but the top prize is pretty low: maybe around $300 USD. On the other hand, a $20 USD ticket might be a bigger investment, but you have a chance of winning a jackpot that's, in some cases, $500,000 USD or more.
- Pick a price point that works for you and stay within your budget—buying a pricier ticket in no way guarantees that you'll win a prize, so remember just to have fun and be mindful of your spending habits.
2
Consider the odds of buying tickets in bulk. To calculate the overall odds of all your tickets combined, divide the total number of tickets you bought by the number of tickets in the scratch off game you're playing. For example, if there are 1 million tickets in one scratch off game and you buy 10 tickets, then your odds of winning are 1 in 100,000—that's not so bad, and it puts you above anyone buying just 1 ticket!^{[2]
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- Remember, just because some games present higher odds of winning doesn't mean you're more likely to win the jackpot: instead, you're probably more likely to win 1 of many lesser prizes, like $300 USD-$1,000 USD.
- Buying "in bulk" (say, around 15 tickets or more) is for serious lottery players who are willing to invest in their hobby since buying a bunch of lower-price tickets gives them greater odds of winning a prize.
- Purchasing 15 $20 USD tickets runs you $300 USD, while getting your hands on a roll of 30 $20 USD tickets would cost you $600—these are pretty steep prices, and usually only pro-gamblers or YouTubers take the plunge.^{[3]
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- Also bear this in mind—you might just break even or even lose money when you buy a whole roll or book of tickets. Ultimately, scratch offs are a game of chance. You could win between $600 USD-$1,000 USD after scratching off all your tickets, but you may also earn nothing.
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3
Read the small print on your scratch-off to find the odds of winning. Before you make a leap of faith and purchase a bunch of tickets, compare the odds of a few games. To make an educated guess, go for a scratch game that offers fantastic odds. For example, if you read 1:5 on one card and 1:20 on another, go for the first game—1 out of every 5 tickets will be a winner as opposed to 1 out of every 20 tickets. You'll have a 20% (1/5) chance of scoring a prize rather than a measly 5% (1/20) chance.^{[4]
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- Now, just remember--1:5 odds don't mean that every fifth ticket in a row wins: it just means that 20% of the tickets dispersed in all participating stores are winning scratch-offs.
4
Participate in new games to boost your odds of buying a winning ticket. Here's a little known secret—buying a ticket early on in a lotto game is the way to go. While there are rarely 2 winning tickets in a row, there are usually a few winners in every roll of tickets. So, if a roll is down to its last tickets, someone's probably already won. However, if a convenience store operator has a fresh new roll, you might be in luck: buy 1 or several for a pretty good chance of landing on a cash prize.^{[5]
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- Unfortunately, a thin roll of tickets probably means that the remaining scratch-offs are guaranteed losers. Hit the convenience store on another day when they have a new roll of tickets.
- Ask the convenience store operator or cashier if someone's already won. If they're honest, then they'll be able to save you some money. Just wait a couple days and come back (or go to another store to buy a scratch-off from another game.)
- Scratch off tickets are sold with a guaranteed number of winners and losers in each pack, which is usually about 30 or 40 tickets. One way to guarantee that you'll win is to buy an entire pack. Now, it's a bit risky because you might end up not making a profit. However, you'll definitely end up winning something.
- Look for a roll of tickets that has at least 1 white line—rumor has it that any white lines are connected to a winning ticket. This has been put to the test by many interested lotto players, and they've reported winning at least a small cash prize, like $30 USD.^{[6]
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5
Wait for other people to lose, then buy your tickets. Hey, when it comes to lotto games, luck favors the bold, the brave, and the patient. Why weather a streak of losses when you can let other people do that work for you? Hang out and build a rapport with a cashier at a particular lotto shop. Try to get some good tips on which games have paid out (distributed all their prizes) and which haven't lately. Also check if there have been happy or disappointed customers—their loss might be your opportunity.^{[7]
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- If someone in front of you just bought 10 tickets and lost on them all, buy a few from that game. You're not guaranteed to win, but there's a better chance the next tickets in the roll will be winners if the previous 10 weren't.
6
Check to see prize levels before you buy a game. Unfortunately, it's perfectly legal to sell tickets for a scratch off game even after all of the top prizes have already been claimed. Sometimes, the store will post a flyer with that valuable information to save customers from the hassle of buying losing tickets, but sometimes they don't get around to it. To make sure you won't waste any money, check your state lottery's homepage: you'll find complete info about any prizes that are still remaining.^{[8]
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- If you have a favorite game that's at your price point and are considering buying some tickets, check out the top prize first before you head to the store. If it's lower than usual because the top prizes have been claimed, think about switching to a different game at the same price point.
- The cashier may even be able to print out a list of any prizes that are still available for the game you're interested in.

Method 2

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Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Save your losing tickets. Many places will run "second-chance lottos," which pool losing tickets into a drawing for all kinds of fun prizes. Organize losing tickets from different games in separate envelopes. Keep them safe and wait for the lottery commission to announce a "second-chance" game. Your losing ticket might be your golden opportunity—you never know!^{[9]
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- Sometimes, the lottery commission will advertise these second-chance drawings when the top prizes have already been paid out, to try to drive the sales of essentially useless tickets.
- Buying tickets that will surely be losers just to have the second-chance opportunity isn't the most profitable idea, so we don't really recommend it.
- Ideally, you'll participate in "second-chance lottos" when you're already sitting on a stack of losing tickets—there's no reason to buy more losing tickets just for a shot at a consolation prize.
2
Turn in all losing tickets. After you collect a few winning tickets and want to turn in to collect your cash prizes, bring back your losing tickets too. Always have the computer at the retailer check the winnings to make sure you haven't missed anything. In games where there are several different ways to win prizes, it can be easy to overlook all the different prizes you might've won. A computer will thoroughly analyze everything so you don't accidentally throw away some valuable winnings.^{[10]
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- When you're done collecting your winnings, keep your losing tickets in a safe place in case they're contenders for a "second chance lotto."
3
Avoid "Mystery Packs" or any other package promotions. Another technique some retailers use to repackage and clear out old stock is discounting ticket packages, made up of games in which the top winners have already been paid out. While it may seem like you're getting a deal, the probabilities of any given ticket being a winner are completely skewed and aren't in your favor.^{[11]
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- It's better to focus on active games in which the numbers are more "friendly" and you actually stand the chance to win some real money.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Budgeting for Games

1
Set a scratch-off budget and stick with it. Decide how much you can afford to spend on scratch offs every week. This absolutely has to be money (in other words: "spending money," "leisure money," or "discretionary income") you can afford to lose, because you will lose money playing the lottery long-term. It's a guarantee. Think of it as entertainment, and avoid seeing the lotto as an investment that you pour your savings into.^{[12]
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- When you've set a weekly budget, take money for scratch-offs from the leftover cash, not savings used for rent, groceries, or other necessary expenses.
- If you've got a fund set aside for fun stuff, you could take it out of there if you enjoy playing scratch-offs.
- Never spend more than your budget. Resist the temptation to chase your losses. The statistics won't change in your favor.
2
Pick a game you like and stick with it until the prizes are paid out. Lotto tickets may award consistency in the long run. Keep playing the game at your price point with the odds you like, until the top prize is paid out, then switch to another game. This helps to manage the psychological impact of winning and losing. Make it a rule: instead of playing another game, try to master one at a time.^{[13]
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- Some serious players differ on their philosophy regarding this. Alternatively, you could pick a store to always buy from, and buy different sorts of games from that store.
- Make one part of your buying routine consistent. Since there's always a higher-percentage chance of losing over winning, regardless of what you do, playing consistently is just one way of staying optimistic and slightly tipping the odds in your favor.
3
Quit while you’re ahead. If you win on a ticket, put the money in your wallet and leave the store. Don’t spend it on more scratch-offs beyond the budget you already set for yourself. This amazing act of willpower is sure to boost your income from scratch off wins.^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do I find out how many scratch offs were made?

Community Answer

Typically your state lottery will have a web page you can look to see how many of a given ticket were printed, this is a good thing to check to see if the big winners of any given scratch off are already won.
Question

How do I know which scratch offs to buy?

Community Answer

Buy the ones with the best odds and the ones that have not paid out their large prizes. Check your state's lottery website to find the games that have the most prizes currently available.
Question

What do the three letters on the ticket mean?

Community Answer

They are the codes for the tickets. $5 is FIV $10 is TEN $15 is FTN $20 is TWY.

Warnings

Do not play more than you can afford to lose.

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While these tips can help (and doing some math will help you out even more), playing scratch offs is technically gambling and you will still almost always lose more than you win.

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