Scratch Off Lottery Ticket Strategy

Who wouldn’t want to know how to win scratch offs, right?

We all want to win the lottery!

Scratch off cards can be pretty frustrating. You think that you’re onto a winner and then you see the card is a loser.

So is there any way to increase your odds of winning scratch offs?

You’ll be glad to know that there are definitely things you can do to win.

Florida Lottery Scratch-Off game top prizes are limited. Click the game name for information about other valuable cash prizes available to be won in these Scratch-Off games. Game Number Game Name Top Prize Top Prizes Remaining Ticket Cost Top Prize Winners & Retailer Information; 5019: DIAMOND MINE 9X. $500,000.00: 0 of 6: $5.00: Winner Report. You may get frustrated if your first ticket doesn’t reveal anything.

These are pretty simple things too! So whether you are a gamble often or just buy scratch offs or lottery tickets to hopefully hit the jackpot or win the Powerball, once in a while, you can use these tips.

In this post, I’ll give you a few tips to increase your odds of winning on every scratch off ticket you buy.

Tips to Increase Your Chances of Winning Scratch Cards

Here are a few not so “secrets” you can use to win money on your next lottery scratch card.

1. Don’t purchase the cheapest scratchers

There are so many scratch cards out there nowadays that it can be pretty confusing to know which ones to buy. You sort of feel overwhelmed by all of the choices!

There are so many different designs, prices, prizes and brands available that it can be hard to decide which ones to purchase.

Thankfully, there’s a really easy tip you can use to make sure you purchase the right ones:

Don’t buy the cheapest scratch cards.

It can be tempting to purchase the most affordable ones; after all, you can get more of them for your money.

But these cards are cheap for a reason – the prize pool is lower.

You’d be better off purchasing just a few of the more expensive cards, rather than lots of the cheap ones. It’s quality over quantity basically.

2. Buy them in bulk

While the expensive cards are better, buying in bulk is still a good idea because it increases your chances of winning.

A lot of people swear by purchasing scratch cards in bulk. Consider purchasing a few scratch cards from the same game in a single trip to the shop, rather than just buying one scratch card.

Your odds of winning may increase if you purchase in bulk. It’s like with the lottery; the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win.

If you get a bunch of scratch cards in one purchase, then the chance of hitting one of those winning scratch cards may be higher.

This is a pretty easy way to up your chances of winning, so you may want to consider it. Don’t just buy any card in bulk though. Follow the rest of the tips in our article and combine those with buying in bulk to maximize your winnings.

I’d only recommend purchasing in bulk if your budget allows it – talking of which…

3. Make sure you set yourself a budget

I cannot recommend anything more highly when it comes to playing scratch cards than setting a budget.

It’s so important for your financial health.

Just as important as actually setting the budget though, is sticking with it. Be strict with your budget.

While this doesn’t increase your chances of winning, it does keep you from losing too much money.

Set yourself a weekly or monthly budget and make sure that you stick with it.

4. Check the odds before you buy

Like I said before, the amount of scratch cards out there nowadays is crazy. There are so many to choose from.

So how do you know which ones have the best odds?

As I also said earlier, purchasing the more expensive cards is a good option.

Scratch Off Lotto Ticket Strategy

But another simple tip is to purchase the cards with the best odds, because, well, these give you the best chance of winning!

It’s not tough to find them either.

The odds are actually printed on the back of every ticket!

Really. You can even ask the cashier at the store to tell you what the odds are on the back of the tickets before you buy them. Choose the games that have better odds, and you’ll increase your chances of winning.

5. Check your state’s website

The last thing you’d want to do is purchase a ton of cards for a game only to learn that the biggest prizes have already been claimed.

It’s completely legal to sell tickets for a scratch off game after all the top prizes have already been claimed.

That’s why I’d highly recommend checking to see if a game has had any prizes claimed before you make a purchase.

Some stores will post a flyer with the information, although sometimes this is weeks out of date.

The best way to make sure you’re not wasting your time on a game is to check with your state’s lottery website.

For example, I went on the Oregon state lottery website and viewed a scratch off game on there to see what prizes were left.

As you can see in the photo above, this Casino Gold game had two top prizes remaining. It lists the odds of winning too, which is handy!

To find your state lottery’s website, just open up Google, enter the term “[state name] lottery website,” and hit search.

I just entered the term “Oregon state lottery website,” for example.

If all of the top prizes for a game have been claimed, consider switching to a different one.

6. Keep your losing tickets

Keeping your losing tickets can be a good idea. This is because sometimes the manufacturer will run a second chance game where they ask for losing tickets to pick a best loser, so to speak.

Second chance drawings allow you to turn a non-winning ticket into another chance to win.

For example, at the time of writing, there were details of a second chance scratcher game on the Virginia state lottery website.

You could enter a non-winning ticket into the weekly eXTRA Chances drawing. The scratcher just had to have the eXTRA Chances logo on the front in order for it to be entered into the drawing. Prize themes change every month and, at the time, included gift cards, vacations, and concert tickets.

All you had to do was buy a scratcher with that logo and then if it was a losing ticket, you could either mail it to the Virginia Lottery or enter online with your non-winning ticket. Or you could use the app to enter the drawing.

Lots of states have second chance games like this.

So it’s worth checking with your state’s lottery website to see if there are any second chance games available.

Just as importantly though, keep hold of your losing tickets! You don’t have to spend any more cash, yet you get another chance to win.

7. Take in all of your losing tickets

Like I said above, you shouldn’t just throw out your losing cards and not only because of those second chance draws that I mentioned above.

No, another reason to not throw out a losing card is that it may not actually be a losing card.

There’s always a chance that you may have missed something on the ticket, which is why you should have your ticket officially checked.

Pa Lottery Scratch Off Tickets Winners Left

You can have the computer at the retailer check the winnings to make sure that you haven’t missed anything. This way, you don’t throw away any winning cards!

It’s always worth doing, especially in games that have several different ways to win prizes because it can be easy to overlook winnings.

Get your ticket checked and you could win something!

8. Try the “Singleton” method

Ny Scratch Off Winners Left

Next on the list is a tip that was used in the past by a lot of experienced scratch card players.

It’s called the “Singleton Method.”

This method involves looking at the numbers that are visible on a card before you purchase it. Basically, you analyze the card to see if you can pick up on any patterns that can indicate whether a scratch card has certain numbers, symbols, or combinations that could lead to you winning.

Now, this method isn’t really as useful as it once was because when the manufacturer’s caught on to the fact that people were analyzing the cards this way, a large number of them designed future cards to work against this method.

Still though, there may be a few manufacturers who have not yet taken steps to address this method. So you could still use it on the type of scratch cards that have numbers visible on the side.

It’s definitely an interesting theory. If you would like to learn more about how the singleton method works, then check out this guide from Casino.org.

9. Avoid package promotions

Another really useful tip I have is to avoid those “Mystery Packs” or other package promotions. This is because these promotional packages are often just a way for retailers to clear out their old stock. So they repackage older cards and then sell them in discounted ticket packages.

At first glance, it can seem like you’re getting a good deal. Who wouldn’t want discounted scratch cards, right?

In reality though, these packages are comprised of games in which the top winnings have already been claimed. This leaves you with little, if any, opportunities to win prizes yourself. It’s always best to focus on active games where there are still top prizes left to be won. That way, you have a better chance of actually winning.

10. Play them like the slots

Okay, this tip will only work if you have a lot of time on your hands and don’t mind doing some detective work, so to speak.

You’ve probably seen those people who hang around the slots waiting for someone to lose before swooping in to take that slot machine.

There’s even a Friends episode about it where Phoebe gets lurked by an older lady who always swoops in and wins right after Phoebe leaves her seat after a losing streak.

There is some science behind this method. Although the house always wins, as they say, slots do have to pay out at some point. And if a slot machine hasn’t paid off for somebody in hours, it’s likely that it will pay off for the next person who comes along.

Surprisingly, you can apply this same method to scratch cards.

Long streaks of losses can mean that your odds are better if you swoop in with a well-timed purchase.

So, how does this work with scratch cards, you ask?

Well, it’s pretty simple. Just try talking to the cashier at the store to get some information on which games have paid out recently and which ones haven’t.

That way you can play the games that not many have won yet.

While this doesn’t guarantee that you will win, it may up your chances. After all, if someone earlier bought ten tickets and lost on them all, and you buy a few, there’s a better chance your tickets will win if those previous ones didn’t.

Similarly, if another game has had lots of winners, then you’ll know which ones have paid out already, and therefore, which ones to avoid.

So keep an eye on your competition.

Good Luck!

While there’s no magic formula for winning scratch cards, there are plenty of things you can do to improve your odds and make sure that you don’t miss out on any opportunities to win!

Remember though that you should always stick to your budget. You want to keep your finances intact.

Give our tips on how to win scratch offs a try and let us know in the comments section below whether you have any tips of your own!

Scratch-off tickets are a fun way to pass the time. You go into a gas station and buy a couple from time to time, but does anyone ever make money from them? They obviously don’t want you to, but if you’re smart, you can have a good time while still walking away with a good chance of winning.

The way they work is pretty simple. You can buy scratch-off lottery tickets from your local convenience store, then use a hard object to scratch-off the foil and reveal prize money. It may even be big prize money. You can also do more than just make your money back. You can make $100, $500, $1,000, or possibly even more.

Our first piece of advice? Don’t give up right away. Read the rest of our scratch-off ticket strategies below.

1 – Don’t Give Up

You may get frustrated if your first ticket doesn’t reveal anything. I’ve scratched off tickets and revealed absolutely nothing more times than I can count, but I don’t give up when I get a dud.

Scratch-offs can feel particularly frustrating when you don’t win, especially when you spend a lot of time scratching for all you’re worth. But that’s part of the fun! The problem with scratch-offs is that you can wear yourself out scratching the day away, but just like any other game of chance, there’s always a winner somewhere.

Keep scratching even if you have a dud. You never know which ticket will be the winning one. There’s a ticket somewhere in there with $1,000 in it. And a few duds is worth it if you get the big ticket.

2 – See If the Big Fish Is in the Pond

Don’t buy scratch-offs to a game that’s already been won. Many of the biggest prizes are already won while the cards are still for sale. You don’t want to buy a card if there’s no chance of reeling in the big one.

Check your state’s website to see what prizes have already been claimed, then you’ll know which tickets are worth dropping a little money on and which tickets are duds just waiting for a sucker to come along.

The average scratch-off player probably never checks a state’s website to see if the prize is still available. If you do, you’ll be one step ahead of the next guy. And that just means you’ll be one step closer to winning.

There are different websites for every state. You need to find the website for your state that shows your claimed scratch-offs.

3 – Read the Fine Print

Check the fine print for any scratch-off cards you buy. Scratch-off makers put lots of rules on the back of the cards. If you’re smart, you can figure out how to get the best odds and ensure you’re buying the tickets most likely to win.

Remember, playing scratch-offs is the same as playing any other game of chance. If you want more of a sure thing, go for the card with better odds. It’s better to win a little bit here and there than to keep trying for the big money (where the odds are definitely not in your favor).

Of all the recommendations I have for you, this is the big one. Choosing the right scratch-off game is critical to long-term success.

Think about professional gamblers. What games do they play? They play the games that are most in their favor. Now, I’m not talking about people who have tons of money from some other source and just gamble a lot. I’m talking about the people who gamble for a living, who keep the lights on with the money they win or lose.

These guys and gals choose games like real money blackjack, games where they can scrape away at the house’s edge through skill and walk away with much better odds. Believe it or not, you can do the same when it comes to scratch-offs.

How To Win The Scratch Off Tickets

Because the odds can vary so much from game to game, the most important decision you can make is choosing which game to play.

Start by playing a variety of games. Read the fine print on the back and see what the odds are. Make a note of games that have particularly good odds because those might end up being your go-to game.

Once you have that list, start narrowing it down. Figure out which games have the absolute best odds, then measure that against the games you really enjoy playing. Remember, there’s no point to all of this if you’re not having any fun!

You can also find out other helpful information on the back of scratch-offs. You can be smart and gain an advantage by being educated when you buy. So many people don’t read the fine print and just buy whatever the guy behind the counter has in stock. Be smarter than those other guys—educate yourself.

4 – Buy Stacks of Cards

Don’t go into the convenience store and just buy one scratch-off card. That’s what they want you to do. The manufacturers expect consumers to only buy one card at a time because they know their odds of winning are higher when you’re only buying one or two of them.

I used to go into the convenience store and buy one scratch-off ticket at a time, sometimes, it was all I could afford. I’d put all my money into one scratch-off card and hope that it would pay off. Then, when I had another clunker, I would tear it up and throw it in the trash.

I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I was reading the fine print on the cards. I was playing the active games that still had big prizes available. I never gave up. I would buy four tickets in a row, one at a time, and not win anything. I was ready to pull my hair out.

Buy as many cards as you can afford at a time. Don’t order one card at a time like I used to. Go to the counter and ask for as many cards as your budget (and good common sense) allows. Let me explain why this works better.

The manufacturers spread out the winning cards when they deliver them to the convenience store. So, if you buy one card at a time, you don’t have a good chance of winning. You’ll be stuck buying one card at a time all night like a sucker. If you buy in bulk, you increase your chances of winning because you are much more likely to burn through the duds and hit the winner.

Buy as many cards as your budget allows (within reason). You want to have a good size stack in your hands. The bigger the stack, the better your odds of getting a winner.

5 – Submit Your Tickets Even If You Think You Lost

One of the biggest problems with scratch-off tickets is that it’s sometimes unclear whether you’ve won or lost. Especially for some tickets (like bingo games), you can easily make a mistake, miss a number, and totally miss the fact that you actually had a winning ticket.

The only way to be absolutely certain whether you won or lost is to submit the ticket. Every ticket has a code on it that can be scanned by the cashier. If you made a mistake (and believe me, this happens more often than I’d like to admit), then you’ll catch yourself (and ensure you get the big win) by submitting every ticket.

6 – Study the Lay of the Land

This strategy always helps me. I go into convenience stores and buy my first ticket. Sometimes, I win big on the first one. But whether or not I win, I like to hang around and see what the tickets have been like that day.

If you’re walking into a convenience store or other outlet that has a lot of traffic and a lot of purchases, that means more people are buying tickets (and you have a lower chance of winning).

The stores that have little traffic have the winning cards in there somewhere. If you’re continually purchasing your cards at just this store, and few people are buying cards in between you and your next purchase, you’re much more likely to hit the win.

7 – Look for Second Chance Lottos

The lotto is a little different from scratch-off tickets, but you can definitely still win even if the big prize gets picked up—and some people find the lotto a lot more fun than scratch-offs.

Did you know some lottery tickets have second chance lottos? 43 of the 44 states that hold lotteries have second chance lotteries. This could be another chance for you to win big.

How To Win The Lottery With Scratch Offs

“A Kansas woman won $25,000 in Home Depot gift cards, a Georgia man won a Kia sedan and a California woman won $500,000 all within two weeks.”

Just because you lose the big prize doesn’t mean you can’t win in a second chance lottery.

Conclusion

Scratch-off tickets are widely available at convenience stores around the world. You won’t win every time you play, but if you’re smart, you can increase the odds. If you use these seven tips for winning scratch-offs, you can make all your friends jealous of your scratch-off success.

Tell us which of these tips you use the most in the comments.