Here’s a timely warning. Always check winning lottery tickets yourself.
Most lottery retailers are honest decent people. And they get a real buzz when their store creates a big lottery winner.
This is comments page 4. Read the full post here:-
Check Lottery Tickets Yourself… Or Else!
Can scratch tickets be checked in the little machines in the stores to see if you are a winner, if they’re not scratched yet?
The self-check machines (and indeed the main lottery machines) need to read the hidden barcode to know if that ticket is a winner. So that hidden barcode has to be scratched to scan it. Always make sure tickets you buy have not been scratched at all when you buy them, particularly around that barcode.
If I could check a ticket without scratching it, so could a retailer and remove all the winning tickets, and sell the losing tickets. To scan any scratch ticket, something has to be scratched, so customers know somebody already scanned it. When A store scans it, they uncover numbers and scan the back bar code. If I scan it, I scan the front code under the play area making the ticket used. For me, the scanner only says winner or loser and it cannot tell me if it has been already been cashed in. The store’s code will display the amount and if it was cashed in. This is a necessary security to prevent fraud.
The bar code scanners for scratch tickets cannot tell you how much you have won in RI, just winner or loser. Otherwise crooked stores will weed out the winning tickets and cash them in. The scanners can tell how much online tickets have won.
I too have won on a lottery scratcher for 15.00$ and I took it in to 4 different stores and all the machines are saying file a claim. I made copies and just now sent it off in the mail. If I won more “yay” but if not it wasn’t meant to be.
Hi,
I also have a $20.00 ticket that says the same. I’m curious if it’s the game. I played the $20- 20X20 20,000 a week for 20 years. Did you also play this game?
Thanks!
Sarah
The self service machines are unable to tell you how much you have won on scratch tickets, just winner or loser in Rhode Island. In fact, the machines cannot tell you if it was already cashed in.
I went to a store and had my lottery tickets scanned. The first ticket she said I may have won. It took them a long time to scan the other tickets. Then I was told I didn’t win. Is it possible for the lottery retailer to reset the lottery machine? The reason I ask is not one person that works there could look at me after that day. The lottery commission checked it out but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Anyone have any suggestions?
I bought a 5 dollar scratch off. Ticket says match “your numbers to any of the winning numbers, win a prize shown for that number”.
I did not win of course. However, I wanted to use this ticket for the 2nd chance lottery because I thought it was a loser. When I scanned the card, it came up as ‘Congratulations, you’re a winner’. I scanned the card in the lottery machine scanner and it came up as “CLAIM WINNER, SEE CLERK.” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THANKS, ELLEN
I bought a scratch ticket after 12pm last night. Checked it with the scanner and it said file a claim with lottery. Went today to check again and it says not a winner? What’s that mean? Did I win or not?
In RI, USA, it is impossible to check scratch tickets winning amounts with with the self service checkers. All they can tell you is if the ticket is a winner – not the amount or even if it was already cashed in.
I bought a 100x lottery ticket won $20 but when the clerk checked it said file a claim form .
I checked a ticket on the scanner – “please see cashier” – so I did. The cashier starts being weird. I turn to see someone entering the store, I looked back and I believe he did a switch-a-roo.
Report it to the lottery company.
The scanners in Rhode Island tell you how much you have won on online games, such as Powerball.