Just like the slot machines where you play big to win big, in scratch off cards, you have to buy a better-priced ticket just so you can actually win. The rule is that the companies and games tend to make expensive cards more win-able for customers who are going out and beyond in their motto, anyway. Scratch-off game, you greatly increase your odds and chances of winning. Make sure you are playing ONLY $5, $10, and $20 scratch-off tickets or higher! DO NOT play $1 or $2 tickets! DO NOT BUY ENTIRE SCRATCH-OFF ROLLS. If you can afford it, buy an entire scratch off roll. Again, this is another way to increase your chances of winning.

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

We all want to win the lottery!

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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.

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!

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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.

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.

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

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

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!

You’re at the convenience store.

You look up.

Above you, there are dozens of winning scratch tickets. Some have won just twenty bucks, but others have won thousands. So, reaching into your wallet, you pull out a few crisp bills and ask the clerk for a ticket of your own.

Stop!

Before you spend money on scratch off tickets, there are a few things you need to know. In this article, we’ll talk about:

• How to win at scratch tickets
• Whether there are strategies you can use to increase your chances
• How to determine your odds of winning

Are you ready? Let’s talk about scratch off tickets, and how to improve your odds of winning big.

1. Know what the prizes are.

The first thing you’ll need to do before you buy any scratch cards is to know what the prizes are! Most scratch cards will state this right on the card. For example, your ticket might say, “Top Prize $10,000!”

But there’s more to it than that. The top prize is, of course, just one prize you could potentially win from a scratch card. There are plenty more, and those prizes are listed on the back of the card.

Most store clerks will let you peek at the back of the card before you buy it. If your clerk doesn’t, however, you can usually find this information online. In a little chart, you’ll see the list of prizes and your odds of winning those prizes. Look that over carefully before you buy your scratch off card.

• Before you buy a scratch ticket, you should look at the list of prizes
• The top prize isn’t the only prize you can win
• The odds of winning each prize are listed on the back of your scratch card

2. Decide how much you want to spend per ticket.

Scratch tickets can range in price anywhere from a dollar to a hundred. And, generally speaking, as the price of the card increases, so does the potential prize you can earn.

To put it another way, if you buy a one dollar card, you could win, say, $5,000. But if you splurge on a $50 card your prize could be as much as a million dollars.

Check your card for the odds of winning, and determine how much money you’d like to spend. Weigh that against your potential earnings, but remember that winning isn’t guaranteed!

• You should know how much you want to spend before you buy
• Scratch cards range from $1 to $100 or more
• Usually, higher priced cards offer bigger potential prizes

3. Check your local lottery site online.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Let’s say you have five bucks to spend, but you’re not sure which card to buy. Head to the internet to find your local lottery site.

If you’re in the United States, your lottery will usually have its own website. In, for instance, the UK, there’s a National Lottery website. Wherever you are, find your local webpage. On that website you’ll see a list of the scratch cards available. Find a few in your price range and click for details.

Not only will you see the odds of winning that particular contest but you’ll also see how many people have already won. For example, if there are 100 prizes of $2 but 46 people have already won that prize, your odds will decrease.

• You should be able to find your local lottery’s website online
• On that site, you’ll find all the contests listed
• You can see how many people have already won a certain prize by checking online

4. Compare your odds of winning.

So, as we mentioned, you’ve got five bucks to spend, right? You can choose between two different tickets. But which one should you buy?

While you’re online, compare the odds of winning. Let’s say one ticket has already had 500 winners out of a possible 1,000. The other game has had just 300 winners out of 1,000.

You have better odds of winning with the second ticket, so you may choose to buy that one.

• Decide how much money you’ve got to spend so you can research your scratch cards
• Find out how many prizes there are, and how many have been awarded
• Compare your odds of winning and choose the card with the best odds.

5. Check the availability of the grand prize.

In some cases, it may not be smart to just choose the card with the best odds of winning. Keep this in mind: if the grand prize has been claimed, you have zero chance of winning it.

Before you buy any scratch off tickets, check to see if the grand prize is still available. If someone’s already claimed the grand prize, you might want to consider choosing a different card.

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• If the grand prize is already claimed, you can’t win it
• Check the availability of the big prizes before you buy a ticket
• If the large prizes are gone, choose a different game

6. Talk to the clerk.

In every roll of scratch cards, there are a few guaranteed winners. However, the odds of two winning cards being sold back to back are very slim.

Talk to the store clerk and ask which cards win the most often. Then, buy a different card. If there’s a roll of cards that’s a frequent winner, there’s a good chance that roll has no more winners.

There is one exception to that. If there’s a frequent winner and the clerk has just installed a new roll, go ahead and buy one! The chances “restart” when a new roll is installed.

• There are a guaranteed number of winners per scratch ticket roll
• If there’s a roll that’s already awarded many prizes, choose another roll
• If there’s a new roll on the rack, go ahead and buy!

7. Buy consecutive tickets.

They say that lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice. Well, that may or may not be true, but the odds of being struck twice by lightning are about the same as you buying two lottery tickets in a row. So what should you do with that information?

First, you could hang out at the store and wait for someone to lose on a scratch off ticket. That increases your odds that the next ticket is a winner.

Or, you could take a kinder approach and just buy several, consecutive tickets. Instead of buying one five dollar ticket, buy five one dollar tickets! The odds that you’ll buy a winner are greater that way.

• Winning tickets are rarely sold consecutively
• To increase your odds of winning, buy more than one ticket
• You can wait until someone buys a “loser” then buy from the same roll to improve your odds

8. Always have the store clerk check your tickets.

In some locations, it’s illegal to scratch off your tickets in the store. That’s okay. Go outside, scratch off your card, and check to see if you’ve won. If you’ve won, great! Go on back inside and collect your winnings!

If you have not won, you should still go back in the store. Have the clerk scan your ticket just to make sure. There are some scratch off cards that can be confusing and you don’t want to overlook any winnings! Some stores have a scanner right there at the counter. Otherwise, hand your card to the clerk and have him verify.

• Never assume a card is a loser until the clerk scans it
• Some scratch cards are confusing, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!
• A bar code scanner is more reliable than trying to read lottery cards sometimes

9. Save your “losing” tickets.

In most places in the world, there’s a rule: stores must stop selling scratch cards once all the top prizes have been claimed.

We like that rule, and you should too! Because it means a second chance for you to win big. The smaller prizes that have not been claimed are set aside into a pool. The unsold cards are destroyed. And a second chance lottery is held.

In a second chance lottery, you’ll have the opportunity to send in your “losing” scratch cards for a second chance to win those earnings that have been unclaimed. The prizes may be in the form of cash or even gifts and new cars. Your local lottery will tell you the odds when the lottery is announced.

Don’t throw away your old cards! Instead, be sure you submit them to a second chance lottery. Your chances of winning big in a second chance lottery are much higher than in the original lottery itself.

• Don’t throw away your old scratch tickets – you could still win!
• Stores can’t sell cards once the big prizes have been claimed
• Remaining prizes are distributed through a second chance lottery

10. Don’t overthink second chance lotteries.

Don’t get us wrong – we love the idea of a second chance lottery. In most cases, you can see whether a ticket is a second chance game just by looking at the ticket, so when you can, opt to buy those.

However, it’s not usually smart to buy a second chance-eligible ticket on the off chance you might win a second chance lottery. The odds are more in favor of someone actually winning the “big prize” than on you winning the second chance lottery.

• Second chance scratch tickets are easy to identify.
• Choose second chance tickets if you’ve checked that there are still available prizes
• Don’t buy a second chance ticket just because you might win the second chance drawing

11. Sign up for an account with your local lottery online.

There’s little more annoying than having your drawer, your purse or your car cluttered with “losing” lottery tickets. As soon as you’re able, find out if you can just enter those lottery tickets into second chance drawings online.

Sign up for an account with your local lottery organization. Most places around the world that hold lotteries offer this opportunity. Some even have apps you can install on your cell phone or tablet!

Once you’re registered for an account, simply enter or scan your tickets to your account as soon as you purchase them. Then, in most cases, you can just toss your tickets in the trash. Check with your local rules, as in some jurisdictions you’ve got to be holding the winning ticket to claim your prize.

In addition to simply making your life easier, signing up for an online lottery account offers other opportunities to win. Some locations allow you to enter your tickets to earn points. Using those points, you can enter other contests in addition to the scratch off game!

• Most locations offer the opportunity to register for an online account – do it!
• You can enter your old tickets, then can usually just toss them in the trash.
• Online accounts also offer additional contests you can enter for free.

12. Consider playing just one scratch card game.

Without getting too mathematical, let’s talk about odds of winning for a moment. Let’s say, just for argument’s sake, there’s a game for which a thousand tickets have been printed. You buy a hundred of those. You then have a 10% chance of winning the Big Prize.

Now, say there are four games, which have also had a thousand tickets printed. You buy 25 tickets from each game. Your odds have just been reduced to 2.5% chance that you’ll win any one of those games.

Consider choosing a scratch card game you think is fun and that is within your budget and stick with it. Each time you play the lottery, choose that card until you see that all the big prizes have been awarded. Doing so can dramatically increase your odds of winning on scratch cards.

• When you stick to one game, your odds of winning increase
• Be sure that game is within your budget
• Before you buy a scratch card, check that the big prizes haven’t all been awarded

13. Choose your store with caution.

In the beginning of this article, we imagined a scenario where dozens of winning tickets were hung up for all to see. Does that make it a lucky store? Is that where you should buy your scratch off?

Probably not! Those winners are tempting, but that’s the point – they’re advertisements, and they’re tempting to everyone else, too!

Instead of going with the store that’s had the most wins recently, choose a store that doesn’t get a lot of traffic. You already know that there are a certain number of winners per scratch off roll. If you go to a busy store there’s a good chance the winners have already been bought.

• High traffic stores have most likely sold all the winning tickets
• Others have noticed those winning tickets, too! They’re advertisements!
• Choose a less busy location for a better chance of winning a prize

14. When in doubt, buy the newest cards.

If you don’t have time to research the odds of winning, it’s always best to ask the store clerk for the newest card. Different parts of the world have different policies. For instance, in North Carolina, United States, new cards are introduced every Tuesday.

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Ask which cards were just released. For instance, you could say, “Hey, what’s the new five dollar card?” There are usually only one or two, and if they’re brand new your odds of winning are about the same for either one.

You may not win the big prize, but when you purchase a new scratch off you’re more likely to get a bigger prize than you would earn with the older ones. Assume, with the older cards, that all the good prizes have already been claimed.

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• Different locations introduce new games at different times – find out yours
• When you don’t have time to research, always go with the newest card
• Your odds at winning scratch cards is higher with new cards than with old ones

15. Don’t forget to budget yourself.

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Before you buy a card, set yourself a budget. How much do you want to spend? This number should roughly equate to how much you can afford to lose!

Remember that there’s no sure fire way how to win at scratch cards. There are ways to improve your odds, but there’s no guarantee. Assume that every card is a loser, and you’ll be that much more excited when you win!

• Set yourself a budget and stick to it
• There’s no guarantee to scratch cards
• Your spending budget should equal the amount you’re willing to part with

Summary

There’s no guarantee that you’re going to win at scratch off. But the games sure are fun!

Be smart and don’t overspend. If you can, avoid impulse buys, and always check to see if your location hosts a second chance drawing. You may not win a fortune playing scratch cards, but you can definitely improve your chances if you follow these 15 steps!