Will The Lottery Terminal, Self-Checker & Mobile App Give the Same Results?

A player just sent us an interesting question about the lottery devices that can be used to check tickets: Will they all give the same result?

The quick answer is yes, and that’s a good security feature to keep in mind.

There are 3 devices for ticket checking in a lottery retail location:

• the lottery terminal. A clerk at the machine can check ticket results for you.
• a self-checker. This electronic scanner is usually installed away from the main cash register so you can be out of the flow of customer traffic when you use it.
• a lottery self-service kiosk. Where available, you can use a self-service kiosk to buy and check tickets on your own. (Kiosks are in about 360 of the 2,500 retail locations in Iowa where lottery tickets are sold.)

In addition, you also can use the lottery’s mobile app to check ticket results from wherever your smart device can connect online. 

The results of a lottery ticket are imbedded in the codes on the ticket itself, so any lottery device will give the same result for that ticket.

All of our devices will display the results of your ticket on the screen. If you’ve won a prize, the dollar amount will be shown. If your ticket has not won a prize, the words “not a winner” will be displayed. Printed receipts are also available from a lottery terminal or self-service kiosk.

If you think you’ve gotten a different answer about your ticket from one device to another, please take the time to verify the information you’ve received.

And if you still have questions after that, we’re glad to help. You’re welcome to reach out to us or send your ticket to us at the lottery so we can double-check it for you.

Comments

[Mary Neubauer]

Hi, Sandra. Yes, that can be done, and you will need to take your ticket to a retail location where lottery tickets are sold so a store clerk can key in the numbers for the ticket. The clerk can use the "Cash/Cancel" button at the top of the lottery terminal's main screen to go to the spot where they can key in the numbers.

[Sandra Scobee]

I had a ticket with a damaged QR and it couldn't be read by that. Is there a way to read tickets by using the number instead of the QR Code?

[Mary Neubauer]

Hi, Lois. Yes, you certainly can. The store does not need to keep nonwinning tickets. Stores keep winning tickets as part of the lottery's security procedures and for their own accounting purposes, but nonwinning tickets can be given back to the customer. Another tip: You can download the Iowa Lottery's mobile app onto your smart phone or mobile device, and then you can check your ticket results from wherever you are. You would know which tickets are winners or nonwinners and you could enter the tickets into our promotions before you would go to the store to claim a prize on any winning tickets. Here are details about the lottery's mobile app: https://ialottery.com/Pages/Games/MobileApp.aspx

[Mary Neubauer]

Hi, Gale. I am going to share your inquiry with our Security Department so someone there can help kook into what occurred. It's possible that the clerk at the store touched icons on the lottery terminal screen too quickly, and ended up showing that your ticket was previously paid. But if it was not paid, the store's sales balancing for the day will be long, and we can help pinpoint what occurred.

[Lois M Brehm]

When I play scratch off tickets and they are not winners, do I have to ask clerk if I can have it back for the second chance entry?