Scratcher Tickets Poll

Reply #21

ScratchSmarter — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 14:59:22 GMT

There is always a direct correlation of # of big winners at a store to the number of tickets sold at those stores. Simply put, the more tickets a store sells, the more often they'll have winners and 'appear' to be lucky.

The challenge lately, is that the lottery is controlling what is being sold where by installing the lottery vending machines. There are limited slots in those machines to dispense tickets, so they're normally filled with the games that are either 'brand new' or dont hav... [ More ]

Reply #20

Ralphie762 — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 04:36:57 GMT

New games historically offer worse odds than their predecessors. And the winning numbers on any particular ticket seem to dwindle. Used to be six winning numbers on a $5 ticket, now it's mostly four numbers. Used to be ten winning numbers on a $10 ticket, now it 6 or 8. Etc, etc.

Reply #19

Soledad — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 14:55:10 GMT

The new games don't always offer better odds. There are always jackpot tickets left at the end of the game. So that tells you something also. I would never buy a game that offers only 1 $40 ticket for each pack, as oppose to a game that offers 1 $40 ticket and 1 $50 ticket as well for each pack.

Reply #18

Soledad — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 14:51:53 GMT

I bought 12 $10 scratchers, one of the ones that's been around forever and will never go away, one of the staples of the scratch offs, and won $100, $50, $20, and 2 $10's. $190 total. Spent $40 on numbers, left the store with the same amount that I walked in with, plus $40 worth of free numbers. Work them to your advantage. That $10 game I bought always has a minumum of 2 $50 winners in it for each book or pack. Make sure you know what and which ones you're buying. And think about it before you... [ More ]

Reply #17

ValerieTXWinner — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 19:52:02 GMT

Either way, I think the smaller stores seem to have higher odds of having winners. Never seem to get any decent winners at the big chain stores.

Reply #16

ScratchSmarter — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 19:33:08 GMT

You cannot based your purchases off of a ticket being new or old. Scratch tickets are similar to playing black jack. Sometimes the winning tickets are mixed in randomly a the beginning of the printing sometimes spread evenly throughout and sometimes at the end of the deck. Overall odds simply tell you the chance of winning any prize at any point throughout the printing.

If you really want to increase your odds of winning a big prize, you have to track the odds of winning a top prize when the... [ More ]

Reply #15

Redd55 — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 16:23:34 GMT

Calif has ruined scratchers. They cut back on the number of large jackpots for each game for what they claim are more smaller prizes. But the odds are not great for the smaller prizes and they are palty. They had an end of each game drawing for the top prize but they did a way with that, too. I stopped playing all scratchers. Even the graphics look less than enticing.

Reply #14

Soledad — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 12:39:28 GMT

New. I've seen stores with books of games that are discontinued where they've told me the State won't take them back, and the books are just sitting in the store for nothing. If a store closes, and they have leftover books that aren't sold, guess what those books don't get recycled, they get trashed. What if one of those books has a grand prize on it? Do you think the state cares? How long do you think it would take the state to process and reprint and then deliver one of those new grand prize t... [ More ]

Reply #13

helpmewin — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:16:08 GMT

New

Reply #12

Kingofearth — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 06:30:28 GMT

I spent $30 worth on a $1 scratcher a few years ago when I was completely ignorant about how the lottery works and I got $4 back. Haven't bought a scratcher since.

Reply #11

Kingofearth — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 06:27:12 GMT

Reply #10

Romancandle — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 02:58:07 GMT

On a bad day...really? That's pretty good IMO...

Scratchers are about as bad a MM and PB IMO... Like somebody else mentioned earlier... How do u calculate odds when tickets aren't distributed, games are pulled early.

Reply #9

EMTAdam — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 05:43:58 GMT

Scratchers are a waste of time and money....

:runs n hides

Reply #8

gatorsrok — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 01:01:05 GMT

I agree 100%. Also, the top prize odds on many of the scratchers are about 1 in 500K to 1 in 2M depending on the top prize value. On the PB and MM, the top prize odds are 1 in 292M and 1 in 258M, respectively. Also, the second place prize of $1M is 1 in 12M and 1 in 18M for PB and MM, respectively. Odds are that you will never win a top prize or even the $1M prize in either PB or MM. At least with scratchers, you have reasonable odds of winning decent money and the top prizes still provide life

Reply #7

Iborret — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 08:00:16 GMT

With Scratchers you get more of your money back.

For example if I spend $100 on Powerball/Megamillion tickets, if I am very lucky I might get $10 back

If I spend $100 on Scratchers, even on a bad day I'll get at least $30-$40 back

Reply #6

rcbbuckeye — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 02:49:56 GMT

You are quite correct. I play scratchers once or twice a week, and I look at the odds on the website, but the fact is the odds don't mean anything if a top prize ticket isn't in the store where you are buying.

Reply #5

glisit3000 — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:04:52 GMT

I don't get the odds on scratchers. I might be slow but the odds are like 1 out of 2,000,000 for a grand prize. Yet If the winning ticket isn't in your city or a store you frequent then what are your odds.

At least with the megamillions or Powerball. It's numbers and those numbers can hit anywhere.

I still play the instant tickets but it's something I always think about . To the answer the question I'll play the older game. .

Reply #4

Todd — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 21:02:31 GMT

Reply #3

TheMeatman2005 — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 19:56:28 GMT

I don't usually buy scratchers. Occasionally, I will buy one that's a $5 ticket called NY POKER.

I buy one ticket, stick it in my pocket and scratch it once I return home.

This way, win or lose, I am no where near the store and can't buy another one if I didn't win or I can't buy any more if I did win.

As for the vote, I chose yes, I would play from a new game with more winners. I don't do that, but if I bought scratchers regularly, that's what I would do.... [ More ]

Reply #2

tnlottodreamer — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 19:45:44 GMT

I don't buy scratcher's tickets unless I look at the TN Lottery website of remaining prizes left. I see people buying a $20 ticket and it doesn't even have any top 3 prizes left...what a waste of money. Look to see what still has lots of prizes and play those. Better chance.

Reply #1

LiveInGreenBay — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 19:12:36 GMT

I never saw the appeal of scratchers. Sure, there are guaranteed winners somewhere but... At least to me, not as exciting as playing lotto.

Scratcher Tickets Poll

sthl129 — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:39:21 GMT

Would you rather play a new scratcher game with say, 3 out of 3 grand prizes remaining but more total tickets outstanding, OR, would you rather play an old scratcher game with 1 out of 3 grand prizes remaining with less total tickets outstanding