You CAN Use a Playslip as You Redeem Your Monthly Free Play in the VIP Club

Here’s a question that came our way about the free plays we send out each month to members of the Iowa Lottery’s VIP Club. We rotate the free-play offerings between our lotto and InstaPlay games, and the question focuses on the process of redeeming a free play for a ticket in a lotto game like Powerball® or Mega Millions®.

Some players wondered if they can choose their own numbers when redeeming their free play. The answer is yes, if you are at a lottery terminal. Here are the details:

When you present your free play to the store clerk at a lottery terminal, they will scan the code on it. The prompt shown in the image above then appears on the terminal screen.

The retail employee then has three options:

1. They can insert a completed playslip from the player, allowing the player to choose his or her numbers.
2. They can click the ‘Easy Pick’ button, which instructs the terminal to randomly assign the numbers to the free play.
3. They can click ‘Cancel,’ which cancels the transaction and allows the player to use the free play at another time.

Note that the ability to choose your own numbers can only be done at a lottery terminal. Players can redeem their free plays in lotto games at a self-service kiosk, but only for easy-pick plays. (And playslips are not used in InstaPlay games.)

The Iowa Lottery gives members of its VIP Club a free play every month. The free play is included in the VIP Connection newsletter that is delivered on the first business day of each month.