Ticket tips
How to check a ticket, sign and store it, and what to do before you throw one away.
A few simple habits protect your tickets and your prizes. The first habit is to check lottery tickets after every draw. A winning ticket is easy to miss. Small prizes are the easiest to miss. Check each ticket against the official winning numbers for the right game and the right draw date.
You can check by hand, at a store terminal, on your state lottery's website or in an app. The LottoCheck app can scan your ticket and tell you if it may have won. Its results are unofficial. Always confirm with the official state lottery before you act.
Sign the back of your ticket as soon as you buy it. A signed ticket is harder for another person to claim. Then keep it flat, dry and in a safe place. Take a photo of the front and back for your own records. A damaged ticket can be hard to claim. Do not throw a ticket away until you are sure it did not win. Each state has a claim deadline, and it differs by state. Read the back of your ticket and your state lottery's official site. These tips are short and simple, and they take only a few minutes.
Ticket tips guides
Ticket tips
How to Check a Lottery Ticket Step by Step
Questions about ticket tips
How do I check a lottery ticket?
Compare your numbers with the official winning numbers for the same game and draw date. You can use a store terminal, your state lottery's website or an app. Confirm any win with the official lottery.
Should I sign my lottery ticket?
Yes. Sign the back as soon as you buy it. A signed ticket helps show it is yours. It also makes theft harder. Keep the ticket flat, dry and safe until you know the result.
How long should I keep a lottery ticket?
Keep it until the claim deadline has passed, even if you think it lost. The deadline differs by state and by game. Check your ticket and your state lottery's official site for the date.
What if my ticket is damaged or lost?
Contact your state lottery as soon as you can. Damaged tickets may still be valid if the bar code and numbers can be read. A lost, unsigned ticket is very hard to claim. Sign every ticket at once.
The LottoCheck app
Scan your ticket. Know in seconds if you won.
LottoCheck checks Powerball, Mega Millions and state games for you, and tells you when a draw is in. It is coming to iPhone and Android. Leave your email and we will tell you on launch day.
- Coming soon to theApp StoreSoon
- Coming soon toGoogle PlaySoon