Good news on the convenience front: The ticket-checking function is working again on the Iowa Lottery’s mobile app! So, you CAN now use the app to check the results of your lotto, scratch and InstaPlay tickets.
That particular app feature had been down for the last couple days after a system update over the weekend. On Sunday, the Iowa Lottery transitioned to a new central gaming system, which links lottery equipment statewide in real time. It’s a huge project that only happens about once every 10 years here in Iowa. And with any update like that, there will be tweaks and adjustments needed after go-live.
That was the case with ticket-checking on the lottery’s mobile app. We know our players love the convenience of being able to use the app to check the results of their tickets from wherever they are, whether they’re at home or on the go. And we’re glad the right adjustments have been made so that function is back up today!
So, what was the lottery system upgrade, and why was it made? Like any electronic device, the equipment used to sell and cash lottery tickets needs to be replaced over time. The central gaming system replaced on Sunday had been in use since 2011 and the lottery’s contract for it expired this year. We’ve been working on the new system for about 2½ years.
At the store level, the update means that the previous red lottery terminals have been replaced with new black-and-white terminals. The ticket printers and self-checkers in stores also have been replaced.
And here’s another upgrade you’ll notice the next time the jackpot in Mega Millions® or Powerball® gets really big: The lighted jackpot signs in stores around the state now have the ability to display amounts of $1 billion or more. Our old signs “only” displayed amounts up to $999 million, so when the jackpots climbed higher than that, they couldn’t keep up. But now they can!
Thanks for playing, and happy ticket-checking on the mobile app!
Hi, Craig. In some instances, a particular mobile device just will not automatically take the update from apps installed on it. There are so many variables involved (different service carriers, different devices, different security settings, different groups of apps installed) that it's difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why. But here are steps that have worked for other folks whose devices weren't taking updates: 1. Power down your phone -- don't just restart it, actually power it down, leave it off for about 1 minute, then power it back up. 2. Uninstall the lottery app and then reinstall it. Those steps have helped devices recognize the update that had not done so before.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | October 06, 2021 at 08:34 AM
My app is still not reading any tickets
Posted by: Craig Sills | October 05, 2021 at 05:09 PM