Nineteen scratch-off games end May 31

May 19, 2019 Posted by NC Lottery at 7:00 AM

In less than two weeks, 19 instant games will end and for many of you, it’s your last chance to win a few more prizes. The last day you can buy these tickets is Friday, May 31.

The games are:

$10 ticket: Merry & Bright
$5 tickets: 20x the Cash, Fantastic 5’s, $200,000 Payday, Cash Vault, Spicy Hot Crossword, Lots of $10,000, Hit $500, and 777
$3 tickets: Hit $300 Crossword and Holiday Cheer
$2 tickets: 10x the Cash, Did I Win?, $50,000 Back Scratch, and Neon 7’s
$1 tickets: Happy Holidays, Winner Winner Chicken Dinner, 5x the Cash, and 7-11-21

You have 90 days from the announced end date to claim a prize. Claims of $600 up to $99,999 must be made at one of the six regional claim centers before 5 p.m. by August 29. Claims of $100,000 and above must also be made at lottery’s Raleigh headquarters before 5 p.m. and by August 29.

Mail-in claims must be received within 90 days. Remember, postmarks will not satisfy the 90-day requirement.

Look over old tickets to make sure you’re not missing out on your cash prize. You may already be holding a winning ticket!

21 COMMENTS

5/31/2019 03:36 - NC Lottery

@TIM M.: We're here to provide information to anyone who has questions about the security and procedures for our drawings on our blog. I did want to comment on a couple points you mentioned below. While it is standard practice to conduct test drawings, the live draw is conducted on air and can be viewed by our players live. Also, many state lotteries have a "liability limit" and will stop sales for a given number combination once that limit is reached. However, as with all our drawings, we don't know what number will hit in the next drawing.

5/31/2019 10:45 - Tim M.

@NC LOTTERY: You might not believe this but there is speculation about the drawings. I had a guy tell me at work a few years ago that he'd heard you had 'practice' draws, several draws before the actual drawings, then check on the computer to see what everyone is playing, then pick one of the draws so that there is a low payout. When I talked to someone else at a different time and brought up the auditors, he suggested that they're 'on the take'. I'm not kidding. That's the sort of rhetoric I've heard since I've been playing. Another example is when I go to the store to run my slips and there will be a loud buzzing noise. The clerk will say that '9s are locked out', i.e., 999, a triple, is locked out. Then someone will suggest that 9s WON'T hit because everyone is playing it and that YOU will not allow a big payout like that. Again, I'm not joking. In 2014, when people's wins dried up, this major player in my area said it was due 'to the new Commissioner from Texas'. I kind you not.

5/27/2019 02:46 - Sarah B.

@TIM M.: Thanks for the opportunity to share some information on this! There are exactly 1,000 different combinations of numbers that can be drawn in a Pick 3 drawing. Since there are only 10 numbers to choose from for each spot (0-9), it's no surprise that similar numbers in different orders or with slight differences come up every so often. That said, we take the integrity of our drawings very seriously and each drawing is conducted in the presence of an independent auditor who verifies the results are accurate. All of our drawings are open to the public for those who are interested in learning more about the process. We'd love to have you come see one!

5/27/2019 11:33 - Tim M.

@NC LOTTERY: Pick 3 is what I have the most luck with. Plus, a player doesn't have to go to Raleigh to claim the money! At times, I win repeatedly, whether $40 or $500. But.....even the Pick 3 appears to be a scam. Anyone reading this will know what I'm talking about. Repeats galore! After a draw, just study the numbers. A few draws later, practically the same numbers repeat, even if they're in a different order. Sometimes it IS the same numbers! So, anyone good with numbers can study these patterns, all the mirroring and flip-flopping. There are also apps one can download to help with this. I could've already been to Raleigh, repeatedly, to collect on the Pick 4 because I had exact matches in mind, before the draws, but then second-guessed my picks and struck myself out. Still hope to go!

5/27/2019 08:30 - Sarah B.

@TIM M.: Hey Tim! New games are popular with many players, so we see a lot of ticket sales within the first few days of a ticket being released. Sometimes a big winning ticket is found early on, sometimes it isn't. The lottery does not know or control when winning tickets are found. The truth is, it takes a lot of luck to win a big prize on any of our games. All of our games undergo audits before and after the game is released to ensure the odds are accurate. Bets of luck to you on Pick 3!

5/26/2019 09:18 - Tim M.

I think those disgruntled players have a point. When a new scratch-off comes out, I sometimes win $100 or $200, key word being, sometimes. This seems front-loaded, i.e., I usually win shortly after the game comes out, sometimes almost immediately, but let the same game get some age on it, it's virtually worthless to keep playing it, regardless of what that 'prizes remaining' page states. But some games seem worthless to begin with. Case in point: the new LOADED games. Buy a $2 ticket, win $2 or $4. Buy a $5 ticket, win $5. This ain't winning to me. However, to be fair, I did win $10 on the new $1 ticket. Still not real winning though. Perhaps next month's games will actually have some prizes. And let's not forget the Cash 5. It supposedly gets increasingly more difficult to win, yet in most cases, it still pays out every few days. As a matter if fact, after that big payout the other day, 3 people had to split the 100K. Really? Want my advice? Focus on the Pick 3.

5/25/2019 10:03 - Elizabeth T.

I love playing the crossword and bingo tickets, but there weren't any new games in May. How about bringing those types back for June or July!! (Please!)

5/24/2019 04:02 - Kyle E.

I've been playing the lottery for over 30 years and the most I've ever won is $1000.00 but I keep playing because my wife and I also like to play the "what if" game. We've never counted on winning anything because the odds of winning- which really are done correctly by NCEL - are astronomical and winning any of the big prizes is incredibly unlikely no matter how much you spend or how often you enter. NCEL isn't doing anything wrong, illegal, or unethical, lotteries are just very very difficult to win.

5/23/2019 11:19 - Sarah B.

@CHRIS A.: Hey Chris! New games are popular with our players, so many tickets are sold in the first few days of a ticket being released. Sometimes a player will find a big winner early on, and sometimes it takes a little bit before a top prize is claimed. Each game is different, but it is important to remember that it's all random and we don't know where or when a winning ticket ends up until the lucky player comes to claim it!

5/23/2019 10:49 - Chris A.

I just will never understand the NCEL you put a game out saying there is no way of knowing what roll has the top prizes then every time a new ticket comes out one of the top prizes is won in the first week or sooner! Then it dags for months and sometimes a year before you see another tell me that ain't control. Then you have a ticket like "Lots of $10,000" with Multiple top prizes still left and you pull it after we have brought all these losers. I have spent a lot of money on instant tickets and always been the most minimum win "cost of ticket"....I know it takes luck, but come on this is a bit crazy to have all these games and still not even win a ticket that plays music which is $50 or higher. Then NCEL comes out with these LOADED games and I have went to multiple stores trying to change the scene and still most minimal prizes are won Cost of the ticket. You all have to come up with a game that will excite and please the player, because everyone is searching for a dream.

5/22/2019 04:11 - Linda S.

Have been playing Cash 5 for ten years the same numbers and can't win four numbers or all. Someone can buy one ticket and win Everything!! This is amazing to me.lol

5/22/2019 02:23 - Charlie H.

Hey John J., I too enter my tickets into the second chance drawings by hand, the hard way. I have entered a few that I have picked up off the ground, left by litterers! I really hope one of my those wins "big money" one day. Good luck John because that's all it is!

5/22/2019 10:11 - ReBecca B.

How do you know if you won the second chance drawing and how do you find out more about the second chance drawing? NC Lottery
Hi there Rebecca, Second-chance winners are contacted via email, phone and snail mail via the contact info listed on the player's online account. We have several second-chance drawings that are open at the moment, and you can learn more about each of them here: https://nclottery.com/Promotions. Let us know if there is anything else we can assist with!

5/21/2019 08:08 - John J.

I hand enter my tickets, bought by me. I have spent many hours entering with many many entries, needless to say, with no luck. Man what it would feel like to win big! Yep, I keepin tryin!

5/20/2019 09:38 - DeCarla C.

Its amazing how the same people keep winning the second chance and the monthly weekly drawings.....they find tickets that people throw away and enter them while people like me spend the money and dont win and enter again and still dont win....but constantly see the same names winning...NCEL you should have a certain time frame of when you can win the second chance or drawings....ijsNC Lottery
Thanks for sharing your input, Decarla. Winning in one drawing doesn't disqualify a player from having good luck again. The more entries you make, the more chances you have to win. But sometimes just ONE lucky entry is all it takes.

5/20/2019 02:35 - Reuben B.

I can't scan my lucke-zone tickets,why?NC Lottery
Hey there Reuben! Everything seems to be working on our end. Are you trying to collect points or check a ticket?

5/20/2019 07:47 - Sarah B.

@ELSIE S.: Hi Elsie, Here at the lottery, we want the public to know where the money raised is going—every penny. The legislature—not the lottery—decides how best to use the money we raise. Education is important to us, just as it is to all North Carolinians. We have independently-audited, detailed reports on our website. We encourage all of those with questions to read the reports here: https://nclottery.com/CorporateSocialResponsibility_Integrity

5/20/2019 06:16 - Mike S.

LZ - the winners page hasn't been updated since May 3rd(?).NC Lottery
Sorry about that! We will have it updated shortly.

5/20/2019 03:07 - Vivian C.

Can you tell me how many entries i have in multiply the cash drawings..if not it's ok i just better keep on.thank youNC Lottery
Hi Vivian, To see how many entries you have in a specific drawing, visit the "Draws" page here: https://rewards.nclottery.com/drawings. Then, select the second-chance tab at the top. Your entry total will be listed there. Thanks!

5/20/2019 01:13 - Elsie S.

With as much money that is being made on the lottery why do YOU not spread some of the money to senior citizens? Millions is going to education and senior citizens are the ones playing and buying the tickets. Here is an idea why not ever other year the money is rotated to schools and senior citizens. WHY? because I have lots of teachers in my family and they are constantly anger about not having school supplies books computers to make it through a full year of school. So please tell me where all those millions of dollars are going and to who? I want to see it on paper and held accountable how it is being spent. The teachers are marching in the streets for Christ sake in Raleigh about not having the things they need. So I'm asking where can I find the balance sheet for all the millions going to EDUCATION. NC Lottery
Hi Elsie, Please see our reply above.

5/19/2019 09:17 - Stephen R.

Can you tell me how many entry's so far in the Multiply the cash second chance draw ? Thnx NC Lottery
Absolutely. As of last Monday, the Multiply the Cash drawing had 9,544,408 entries. We will get updated totals tomorrow! ***UPDATE: Hey Stephen! As of this morning the Multiply he Cash drawing had 10,750,452 entries.

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Nineteen scratch-off games end May 31

May 19, 2019 Posted by NC Lottery at 7:00 AM