Actually the store clerk in this instance had validated the tickets and that was why I called the lottery headquarters and the clerk called from her store too and we were both told that the lottery people had not done "their" paper work on the roll of tickets before it left them...whatever that meant but in a couple of hours they called me and they called the clerk and told us I would be able to cash it then and I did......never had that happen before but have had one not validated before and had to take it back to the store that sold it and then when they validated the roll I could do it.....this was a first time thing for me.

Just buy one ticket. 

Damn thanks for the tips soothsayer!

You're welcome !!!

Attention all scratch-off players, the holidays are approaching and most states will have tickets designed for this time. Remember my tips and be patient. Play smart and hope you all have the best of luck !!!

Keep an eye on the ticket numbers that you win on.  Sometimes there are hot portions of a book; they tend to vary depending on what denomination ticket you buy. On some instant games in some states, the same ticket number or within 1-5 tickets of a particular number tend to win a nice prize on most books.  If there are ticket hawks in the store, then beware; this is especially true from Thursday afternoon through Sunday, and around the first of the month when people get checks.  Monday through Wednesday is often the best time to buy if you are only going to buy 1 or 2 tickets without worrying about doing "scratch till you win". 

Personally, I like to buy the 10 dollar tickets in moderation; they are my favorite.  They have a large enough prize to be worthwhile, and many books have at least a 100 dollar top prize winner in them.  The odds of winning a top prize on the 20 dollar tickets are sometimes not as good as the 10 dollar tickets, and 250,000 for a top prize on the 10 dollar tickets is a nice amount.

Have a Great Holiday and Good Luck to Everyone,

Keystone