A player from northeast Iowa contacted us recently after realizing the lotto ticket he bought was for a different drawing than he had expected. The man said it was a good reminder for him to double-check the details involved when he’s buying lottery tickets. He’s right, and it’s something for all of us to remember.
Think about it this way: When you buy clothes, you check that you’ve got the correct size, right? And when you buy fruit, you make sure it’s bruise-free and looks fresh, right? It’s the same thing when it comes to lottery tickets: Double-check that they’re the ones you want.
In the case of the man who emailed us, he bought a Powerball ticket he thought was for that night’s drawing. But when he got home, he realized the ticket was for a drawing 10 days later. That’s a feature we’ve added to our system that gives players more options: You can buy a ticket for the next drawing, for several drawings in a row, or you can skip a couple dates and buy for a future drawing.
So, the man had received a valid ticket, it was just for a few drawings in advance. As I said, the situation is a good reminder. Here are some other pointers:
• If it’s a lotto ticket in a game like Powerball, be sure it’s for the game you want and that it contains the numbers and plays for the drawings you selected.
• If it’s a scratch ticket, be sure the latex covering is intact and that it covers the entire play area on the ticket, including the “Scratch 2 Cash” area. If you’re buying your scratch ticket from a vending machine, be sure that you receive one ticket and not parts of two tickets. If you receive parts of two tickets, take them to the retail counter right away to get a replacement ticket of the same price as the one you initially tried to buy.
• If it’s a pull-tab ticket, be sure that the perforations along the paper tabs are unbroken.
• If it’s an InstaPlay ticket, be sure it was printed on the spot when you asked for it. The lottery terminal plays a cash register sound whenever an InstaPlay ticket is printed, so listen for that audio when you make your purchase.
And when it comes to protecting your lottery winnings, you can have the earliest impact by signing your tickets when you buy them. That identifies the tickets – and any prizes you may win – as belonging to you!
If you ever have a concern about Iowa Lottery products, we want to hear from you. Two of the easiest ways to reach us are by calling 515-725-7900 or emailing us at [email protected].
Hi, Bruce. A picture is certainly not required. But it's not everyday that you'll win a big lottery prize, and most of our winners want the chance to celebrate the moment. For a lot of folks, that means taking a picture to remember the day and getting one of our fun, oversized checks. We want it to be a memorable time that the winners will always look back and remember fondly! Please remember that Iowa Lottery winners' information is public under the law, so we are required to provide the details about who won our prizes.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | August 28, 2018 at 10:17 AM
If you win a top prize do you have to have your picture taken
Posted by: Bruce Nedd | August 27, 2018 at 09:25 PM