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Why Lottery Tickets Get Rejected
A ticket that will not scan is not always a loser. Here is what usually goes wrong and what to do next.
When a store says it cannot pay your ticket, the reason is usually one of a few things: the claim period has ended, the prize is too large for a retailer, the ticket was already paid, or it is too damaged or altered to validate. A rejection at the counter is not always the final word.
The prize is over the store's limit
Retailers can only pay smaller prizes. In Florida, for example, stores pay prizes up to $599; anything larger is claimed with the lottery directly. The terminal may simply be telling the clerk the ticket has to go elsewhere.
The claim period has ended
Every lottery sets a deadline, usually 180 days or a year from the drawing. Texas, for instance, allows 180 days for draw-game prizes. After that, the prize cannot be paid.
It was already paid
Each ticket can be cashed once. If someone else already claimed it, or it was cashed and kept by mistake, the system will refuse it.
It is damaged or altered
The barcode and serial numbers are how a lottery confirms a ticket is genuine. If they are torn, faded or covered, a store may not be able to scan it. Tickets that look altered, such as numbers written over or correction fluid on the back, can trigger a security review and take longer to resolve.
Other reasons
Texas lists a few more: the ticket may come from a pack the store never activated, or the terminal may not be able to read it. A ticket for a drawing that has not happened yet will not pay either.
What to do next
- Ask the clerk for the terminal's printout or message, which often says why.
- Contact your state lottery's claim center. Texas, for example, asks players to call 800-375-6886 or mail the ticket to its Claim Center.
- If you mail a ticket, keep a copy and use a trackable service. Lotteries are generally not responsible for tickets lost in the mail.
- Never hand a winning ticket to anyone who offers to cash it for you.
Related on LotteryCorner
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