ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Players Could Be Buying Scratchcards Unaware That Top Prizes Have Already Been Won

Players Could Be Buying Scratchcards Unaware That Top Prizes Have Already Been Won

Gamblers beware.

Mason Jones

Mason Jones

Gamblers could be spending a fortune on scratchcards even though the top prizes may have already been claimed.

Retailers are stopped from selling scratchcards with the biggest jackpot once the last prize has been snapped up.

Shops can continue selling them, however, if the jackpot is less than £121,000 - even after it has been claimed, reports The Sun.

Lotto bosses must reveal how many 'top prizes' are left in each game, but do not have to list the size of the cash pots left on them.

22 year old Lewis Rider won £1m on a National Lottery scratchcard (Credit: PA)

Camelot displays information about remaining prizes on in-store National Lottery scratchcard terminals but said that they can be 'easy' for customers to miss.

It is believed that the majority of scratchcards are bought on impulse and players are unlikely to have researched whether the prize has been claimed or is still up for grabs.

The Sun reports that a Camelot spokesperson said that players of smaller value scratchcards are not 'usually motivated by the top prize'.

A spokesman from Camelot told the paper: "The odds of winning a top prize are the same - even when it gets own to one chance.

"We adhere to a strict code of practice approved by our regulator, the Gambling Commission, that sets out, among other things, the process we follow when the last top prize on a scratchcard game has been claimed."


Gamblers could be spending on scratchcards that no longer have the top prize (Credit PA)

The National Lottery site has revealed that there is just one, of an initial seven, £1 million prize left on the £100 Million Cash Spectacular Orange card.

The Jewel Million, which has a £1 million jackpot, reportedly has just one of the five remaining prizes left while the The Cashword Orange is down to one £300,000 prize from the original six.

The £70,000 jackpot on the £2 Doubler Bluer has been claimed, and the four £1million prizes for the £5 Santa's Millions have also gone.

Just one of the 16 £250,000 jackpots is left on the £2 Red Card.

Retailers are sent notifications about claimed jackpots but these can allegedly be missed.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Money, Gambling, Lottery