Scratchers are run by the Virginia Lottery, which has the official game details, rules and prize claims. Lottery Atlas is an independent site; this guide explains how the games work and what to check before you buy or throw a ticket away.
How do Virginia Scratchers work?
The Virginia Lottery's Scratcher search lists games at seven price points, from $1 to $50, and the Lottery now also sells Online Scratchers through its website. As with every state's instant games, each game is printed with a fixed set of winning tickets spread through the print run. Scratching reveals the result; it doesn't create one. Our general guide on how scratch-off tickets work covers the mechanics.
That has two consequences. Where or when you buy makes no difference to your chances. And a game's value changes over its life: once its top prizes have been claimed, the remaining tickets can only win smaller prizes, even though the game may still be on sale.
What do the odds on a Virginia Scratcher mean?
The overall odds printed on a ticket, such as 1 in 4, are the chance of winning any prize. That includes winning back exactly what you paid, which on most games is the most common prize. So odds of 1 in 4 don't mean a quarter of tickets make money. Each game's prize table shows how many prizes there are at each level, and the odds of the top prize are much longer.
In states that publish figures, higher-priced scratch tickets usually return a larger share of sales as prizes. Minnesota, for example, reports about 63% on $1 games and 74% on $50 games. That means you lose a smaller share of each dollar on average, not that you come out ahead.
How can you check a game before buying?
Look the game up with the Lottery's Scratcher search before buying a ticket for its top prize, and check whether those top prizes have already been claimed. The Closing Soon list shows games that are about to end. A game close to the end of its run with no top prizes left is a worse buy than the same game when it launched. Our guide to what actually helps covers this and other lottery strategy claims.
Should you keep losing Scratchers?
Keep them until you've checked for a current second-chance promotion. Virginia runs these through its Rewards program, and they usually accept both winning and non-winning tickets. The recent Don't Throw Away Free Play promotion, for example, took tickets bought from September 1 to October 4, 2026; you entered by scanning the barcode in the Virginia Lottery mobile app or on the mobile version of valottery.com, with a Lottery account, up to 50 entries a day, and ten winners each received a one-year online Powerball subscription. Rules differ for each promotion, so read the terms on the Lottery's Rewards page. Our second-chance drawings guide covers other states.
How do you claim a Virginia Scratcher prize?
The rules below come from the Virginia Lottery's prize claim page.
- Prizes of $600 or less can be cashed at Virginia Lottery retailers. Many retailers don't keep much cash on hand, so they may pay by check or money order.
- Prizes over $600 are claimed at a Virginia Lottery customer service center or prize zone.
- Scratchers expire 180 days after the end of the game. Draw-game tickets expire 180 days after the drawing, and Print 'n Play tickets 180 days after purchase. The Lottery doesn't pay on expired tickets.
- Prizes over $600 are reported to federal and state tax agencies. On prizes over $5,000, the Lottery withholds 24% for federal tax and 4% for Virginia tax. More on smaller wins in taxes on small lottery winnings.
- Under Virginia's debt setoff law, prize payments can be withheld to cover certain debts owed to the state, such as back child support, court fines or state income taxes.
- Since July 1, 2026, Virginia law lets winners claim anonymously: the Lottery won't publicly release your name, hometown or amount won without your written permission. Our anonymous winners guide compares other states.
Because a Scratcher's 180 days start when the game ends, check old tickets against the Closing Soon list and claim promptly. Our step-by-step guide to claiming a prize covers the process in more detail.
For Virginia's draw games, including Cash 5, Bank a Million, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Cash Pop as well as Powerball and Mega Millions, see our Virginia lottery results page.
Virginia Scratchers questions
How can I see which Virginia Scratcher prizes are still available?
Look the game up with the Scratcher search on valottery.com before you buy, and check the Closing Soon list for games that are about to end. A game can stay on sale after its top prizes are gone.
What do the overall odds on a Virginia Scratcher mean?
They're the odds of winning any prize, including a prize equal to the ticket price. They aren't the odds of making a profit, and the top-prize odds are much longer.
How long do I have to claim a Virginia Scratcher prize?
180 days after the end of the game, not after the date you bought the ticket. Draw-game tickets expire 180 days after the drawing.
Where can I cash a Virginia Scratcher?
Retailers can cash prizes of $600 or less. Larger prizes are claimed at a Virginia Lottery customer service center or prize zone, and on prizes over $5,000 the Lottery withholds 24% federal and 4% state tax.
Do Virginia Scratchers have second-chance drawings?
Virginia runs second-chance promotions through its Rewards program. You enter by scanning tickets in the Virginia Lottery app or on its mobile site with a Lottery account. Each promotion has its own dates and rules.
If gambling stops being fun, the National Council on Problem Gambling's helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738).
Sources: Virginia Lottery Scratcher search, prize claim page and Don't Throw Away Free Play promotion rules; Minnesota Lottery scratch payout figures.
