Announcement: 11 instant scratch-off games to end

November 14, 2011 Posted by NC Lottery at 3:05 PM

Lucke-Zoners - If you haven't cashed in your prize on any of the following games, you might want to take a trip to your nearest retailer. Eleven instant scratch-off games are ending and will be pulled from the shelves on Friday, Nov. 18.

Hot $50's, Black Pearls, Hot $100's, Triple Tripler, $50,000 Jackpot, $500,000 Anniversary Cash, Ruby Red 7's, Match 3 Tripler, Cash Bonanza, Sand Dollar Doubler and $20K Payday will all be taken out of circulation in just a few days.

NCEL policy states that all instant scratch-off prizes must be claimed within 90 days of the annouced end-of-game date. This means the 11 games listed above must have their prizes claimed on or before Feb. 16, 2012.

So check those coat pockets, lint catchers and wallets! We don't want our players missing out on a prize!

54 COMMENTS

11/29/2011 02:26 - NC Lottery

@ DEEP1 - We have actually paid out more in prizes every year for five years straight. We follow extremely strict procedures to conduct the drawings fairly. It's all a matter of random luck. The size of a prize payout in a draw game all depends on how many people picked the winning numbers, not on which balls were drawn.

11/28/2011 05:12 - Michael R.

NC has the worst lottery in the country. The players are being cheated. They have a propensity to draw the least played pick 3 and pick 4 numbers. The payout on these pick three and pick 4 pales in comparison to Va(a state with a million fewer residents). Under this new lottery director, the lottery has gotten much worst. Va just paid out 6 million dollars on 8888. No wonder residents along the va/nc border prefer Va.

11/28/2011 12:28 - jeff l.

merry christmas

11/23/2011 10:00 - NC Lottery

@ BKEARNEY220 - We respect your right to not believe our responses.

11/22/2011 02:17 - Barbara K.

Your response means nothing to me! I believe what I see not what people say.

11/22/2011 11:22 - NC Lottery

@ BKEARNEY220 - You've heard our response before.

11/22/2011 11:16 - NC Lottery

@ LILLIAN - Cash 5 is set up the way that it is in order to allow the jackpots to roll to bigger and bigger numbers, while still awarding prizes to players who don't hit the jackpot.

11/22/2011 11:14 - NC Lottery

@ JESUTTON - The odds of winning vary up and down with every ticket that is sold.

11/22/2011 11:10 - NC Lottery

@ LOIS MITCHELL - Columbus County education programs have received more than $15.2 million in lottery funds: more than $3.8 million for teacher salaries, more than $5.1 million for school construction, more than $5.4 million for at-risk prek, and more than $833,000 for need-based college scholarships. Players in Columbus County have won more than $23.9 million. The key here is that the state education budget is HUGE: it was $10.9 billion (with a b) last year. We contributed $447 million to education last year, a huge help to these specific programs, but equal to about 4% of that total budget. So while lottery funds help, they can never cover all the expenses or cuts to education.

11/22/2011 09:00 - james s.

Check them everyday.

11/22/2011 07:38 - Wilmet A.

I guess I'm ot alone in the circle of trying to get that big winning ticket. All i can really say is if it's for you, i mean really for you, YOU WILL HAVE IT! no matter where you live, shop, buy gas. When the universe decides it's your time. IT'S YOUR TIME

11/21/2011 09:38 - lois m.

well,i think that is good for the money to go to schools,but im not seeing any work or money at my daughter school at halsboro atesian in lakewacamaw nc..could it be because there have no winners?small town or is the money for all schools no matter who wins?or where?

11/21/2011 11:55 - Ryan K.

@JESUTTON - Check out the prizes remaining link on our homepage to see what prizes are left.

11/20/2011 08:28 - james s.

Will odds be better at winning with the ending of 11 tickets?

11/19/2011 10:44 - james s.

Will the chances be better with the tickets remainin??

11/19/2011 08:16 - lillian d.

on the cash 5 why cant u pay out more than what is paid on 3 & 4 numbers that is a small amount for such a big jackpot

11/18/2011 07:13 - Barbara K.

Lucky Zone-These people see just like I do.You may say that everyone has the same chance but the winnwer are still in the same areas over and over.The scratch off which you are not suppose to know what is on the cards are also winning in the same areas.like I said before,Durham ,west and Goldsboro east.If you do not believe,just take a look at winners locations.

11/18/2011 05:12 - NC Lottery

@ JEFF - how much did you win??? :-D

11/18/2011 05:12 - NC Lottery

@ CHIEF - It's how all games of chance work. There's never a guarantee of winning, only a chance to win. Non-winning tickets is what makes it possible to pay out smaller prizes and huge prizes to lucky winners, as well as raise funds to support education across the state. We appreciate players helping us award more in prizes and provide more to education every year :-)

11/18/2011 01:51 - jeff l.

yes i finally won hoorah

11/18/2011 01:34 - james e.

hears my comment about scratch offs-i have played for years,ived more tears than cheers,be nice to see nc share the wealth i beleive most people can do math 100 counties x amount of sale centers = $$$$$$$$ . i no its my choice to buy them, i was whonce told insanity is doing the same thing but expecting diffant results ????

11/18/2011 01:10 - james e.

everybody could use extra money,been layed off a year today. seems like nobody wants a mature adult with years of exp. and good atnd. maybe nc cash 5 will match my #s

11/18/2011 12:29 - sherita p.

Please get some big winners in TARBORO NC (me anyway)!!!!

11/18/2011 10:28 - NC Lottery

@ PUNKIN77 - Yeah, its always just a matter of luck with games of chance. Winning tickets are distributed at random throughout the entire printing run of each scratch-off game, there's no telling where one will turn up :-)

11/18/2011 10:27 - NC Lottery

@ TOMMY - We pay out about $2.4 million a day in prizes, but it takes luck to win.The overall odds of winning on scratch-off games are actually higher today than they were when the lottery started five years ago. Not every ticket can be a winning one, but everyone's got the same chance of winning so we wish you the best of luck.

11/18/2011 09:57 - William B.

I will win a 3/4 of the cash 5 drawing tonight,being playing the same #s for the last two weeks feeling good! about this.

11/18/2011 09:15 - susie m.

If you buy 10 tickets of the same kind and has no winner, you really needs to put more winning tickets out there. You get sick of spending money with no wins

11/18/2011 08:54 - tommy m.

there needs to be more winning tickets or people are going to get discouraged and stop buying them altogether.

11/17/2011 10:50 - jing gui l.

??????????? ????????

11/17/2011 09:05 - Mia T.

Its so sad reading some of your comments..GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE : )

11/17/2011 08:00 - Bennie P.

There is a season for everything, and everything in it's season. I believe it is my season.

11/17/2011 07:36 - DIANE S.

how do I change my UNLUCKLY status?? I need a win so bad (..) Bloggers help me think + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

11/17/2011 01:52 - antionette a.

I hope you add more second chance scratch tickets.

11/17/2011 01:17 - Monica W.

I can't wait to be on the show "How The Lottery Changed My life and other peoples lives around me"

11/17/2011 09:16 - james s.

Since 11 tickets are ending,maybe our chances of winning with the remaining tickets are better???Can't be any worse.

11/17/2011 06:43 - Timothy M.

I was left out in the cold when Dell left Winston..No more unemployment and 130k worth of surgery on my feet..I need some luck my way.

11/16/2011 11:19 - Stacy H.

I need a good #-a winning #!

11/16/2011 08:32 - john c.

It's good to close the old games. New games mean more big prizes that can show up anywhere, even store with a bad reputation for having the biggies. I have found good wins at grocery stores and gas stations both.

11/16/2011 12:07 - Donnell G.

you people are at the wrong blog..its okay to dream!

11/16/2011 10:26 - Nick H.

Please Get some Big Winners in Garner, NC! THANK YOU NCEL

11/15/2011 08:46 - janna b.

i wish i win i really need for buy a house and for the future of my doughter and son

11/15/2011 06:54 - Mary C.

I need to win, my sister and her kids lives with me and I am on a leave of absence from work right now. The only income is my disabilty from work, I need help.

11/15/2011 06:14 - charles h.

please send me luck I have been playing for so long I played in va.sc.and nc.

11/15/2011 05:49 - Redouane z.

would love to make a diffrence many7 pps lives!!

11/15/2011 03:23 - RICKY L.

Ineed to win so I can send my daughter to college.

11/15/2011 02:49 - Mark A. S.

it would be a blessing to win and have my mom's house fixed

11/15/2011 01:57 - Lessa C.

Please send some new winning tickets to Norman,NC.

11/15/2011 12:58 - arthur b.

Its time for me

11/15/2011 11:34 - MICHELLE C.

need more winning tickets

11/15/2011 10:41 - kecia s.

Keep the games coming! Out with the old games in with the new

11/15/2011 08:55 - mary b.

im glad to see some going. hopefully make way for monopoly to come back

11/15/2011 08:01 - Roger K.

I Hope some of these will make a come-back.black pearls,500,000 anniversary,cash bonanza,50,000 jackpot. I like all of these here.Big money tickets is the one's I play..tks

11/14/2011 09:23 - Monica G.

I will be a multi-million dollar lottery winner tomorrow :).

11/14/2011 06:05 - Primrow W.

Yes Yes ready to when i claim the jackpot

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Announcement: 11 instant scratch-off games to end

November 14, 2011 Posted by NC Lottery at 3:05 PM

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