Second Chance Lotteries: The extra play most people ignore.

That scratch-off you just scratched? The one where nothing matched? Most players crumple it up and toss it in the trash.

They're literally throwing away free lottery entries.

Second chance lotteries exist in most states. They're bonus drawings that only "losing" tickets can enter. And because most players don't bother, that is just throwing potential money away.

I've spent 15+ years as a professional gambler, winning over half a million dollars from poker, blackjack card counting, and casino advantage play. One thing I learned early: never leave value on the table. Free expected value is still expected value. And that's exactly what second chance drawings represent.

What Second Chance Lotteries Actually Are

A second chance lottery is a separate drawing that uses non-winning scratch-off tickets as entries. Think of it as a bonus game that runs alongside the regular scratch-off.

Here's the typical setup: You buy a qualifying scratch ticket. You scratch it. It loses. Instead of throwing it away, you enter the ticket code into your state lottery's website or app. Now that ticket is entered into a separate prize drawing.

The prizes vary by state and game. Some offer cash (usually $1,000 to $100,000+). Others give away gift cards, sports tickets, or vacation packages.

The key insight: your "losing" ticket already cost you money. The second chance entry is already paid for. Any value from that entry is pure bonus.

Why the Odds Are Often Better Than the Original Ticket

Second chance drawing odds depend on one factor: how many people actually enter.

And here's the thing. Most people don't.

State lottery commissions don't publish exact entry numbers, but they do publish winner announcements. When you see a second chance drawing with 10 prizes of $1,000 and realize that only 50,000 people entered, the math becomes interesting. That's 1 in 5,000 odds per prize, or roughly 1 in 500 overall odds of winning something.

Compare that to a typical $5 scratch ticket where the jackpot odds might be 1 in 117k to win that same 1000 prize.

The entry barriers explain the low participation. You need to create an account on your state lottery's website. You need to manually enter the ticket code (or scan a barcode, if your state supports it). You need to do this before the deadline. Most players find this too annoying to bother with.

Their loss is your gain.

How to Enter Second Chance Drawings

The process varies slightly by state, but the general steps are:

Find your state's second chance portal. Search for "your state lottery second chance" or look for "promotions" on your state lottery website. Arizona's is called "Players Club," California calls theirs "2nd Chance," Texas uses "Second Chance," and so on. Most states have one.

Create an account. You'll need basic info: name, address, email, date of birth. This is a one-time setup. Most states have mobile apps that make the process easier after initial registration.

Enter your losing ticket. Look for the code on your ticket. It's usually a long string of numbers printed somewhere on the front or back. Enter it manually or scan the barcode if your state's app supports it.

Confirm before the deadline. Drawings have cutoff dates. Miss the deadline and your entry doesn't count.

Check results. Winners are usually notified by email, but not always. Some states only announce winners through the website, so check your account periodically.

Pro tip: If you're using Savvy Scratch to find tickets with better odds before you buy.

Which Games Qualify

Not every scratch-off game has a second chance component. It depends on your state and the specific game.

Games with second chance options usually mention it somewhere on the ticket, often in small print on the back. Look for phrases like "Second Chance," "Enter Online," "Players Club," or "Bonus Draw."

Higher-priced tickets ($10+) more commonly include second chance features, though plenty of $5 and even $3 games have them too. New game releases often launch with promotional second chance drawings to drive initial sales.

Your state lottery website will have a current list of games with active second chance promotions. Some states consolidate all second chance entries into one big drawing. Others run separate drawings for each game or game category.

The Advantage Play Angle

From a pure expected value standpoint, second chance entries are free value on tickets you've already bought so enter them in because its a no brainer.

Let me frame it the way I'd think about it from my professional gambling background. Say you play $50 worth of scratch-offs per month. On average, you'll probably get back $30-$35 in winnings (most scratch games have 60-70% payout rates). That's a $15-$20 loss, which is the entertainment cost.

But if half those tickets qualify for second chance drawings, you've just added 25 bonus lottery entries at zero additional cost. Even if the odds of winning are small its better then no chance at all.

It doesn't change the fundamental math of scratch-offs. The lottery still has an edge on the primary game. But if you're playing anyway, claiming the second chance entries is like picking up coins off the sidewalk. Why wouldn't you?

Tracking Your Entries

If you get serious about second chance drawings, keep a simple record:

Track which tickets you've entered. States vary on whether you can enter the same ticket multiple times into different drawings. Some allow it; most don't. If you try to enter a duplicate, you'll get an error message, but checking before you spend time typing in codes saves frustration.

Note the drawing dates. Some states run drawings weekly, others monthly, others quarterly. Knowing when drawings happen helps you prioritize which tickets to enter first if you're behind.

Save the ticket itself until results post. You'll need the physical ticket to claim any prize. Some states require winners to mail in the original ticket. Others want you to present it at a lottery office. Don't throw away a ticket you've entered until you know you didn't win.

Check your email and lottery account. Winner notifications aren't always obvious. They can end up in spam folders or get lost in the noise. Set a calendar reminder to check your account after major drawing dates.

The Collection Strategy

Here's something most people don't realize: anyone can enter second chance drawings, not just the original purchaser.

Those losing tickets people throw away at gas stations and convenience stores? They're valid second chance entries. The ticket codes work regardless of who bought the ticket. Some advantage-minded players systematically collect discarded tickets from store floors and trash cans specifically to enter second chance drawings.

Is it worth your time? Depends on volume. If you can collect 50 tickets in 10 minutes, and each has maybe $0.05 of expected value from second chance entries, that's $2.50 for 10 minutes of "work." Not exactly lucrative. But if you're already buying tickets and you notice a few discards on the floor, grabbing them costs you nothing.

The real point: second chance value exists in every eligible ticket, whether you bought it or found it abandoned. Understanding that helps you see why throwing away your own losing tickets is literally leaving money behind.

State-Specific Notes

Second chance programs vary significantly by state. A few highlights:

Arizona runs a Players Club with both scratch-off and draw game second chance entries. The system is straightforward and the mobile app is solid.

California has one of the most active second chance programs with multiple drawings per month and prizes ranging from $500 to $15,000+.

Texas runs regular second chance drawings for many of their scratch games, with some promotional periods offering bonus entries.

Florida has a "Second Chance" tab on their lottery app that makes entry quick if you're playing regularly.

Check your specific state's lottery website for current promotions. Programs change often, and new drawings launch throughout the year tied to game releases and promotional calendars.

The Responsible Play Reminder

Let me be clear about something: second chance drawings don't change the fundamental economics of scratch-offs.

The lottery still has an edge. You'll still lose money on average over time. Second chance entries are a bonus that slightly improves your overall expected return, not a strategy that flips negative EV games into positive ones.

Don't buy more tickets because of second chance drawings. That's backward thinking. The second chance entry is a free add-on to a purchase you were already going to make. If you're using "but it has a second chance drawing!" as justification to buy more tickets than you planned, you've missed the point entirely.

Set a budget and stick to it. If you need help thinking through bankroll management for scratch-offs, that's a whole separate topic, but the principles from professional gambling apply. Use tools like Savvy Scratch to find the tickets with the best remaining odds within your budget. Then enter every qualifying loser into second chance drawings. That's the smart play.

The Bottom Line

Most lottery players throw away free expected value every time they toss a losing scratch-off without entering second chance drawings.

The odds are often better than the original ticket because participation is low. The entry cost is zero since you've already bought the ticket. The time investment is minimal once you've set up an account.

Will you get rich from second chance drawings? No. But you're not getting rich from scratch-offs either. The point is to extract maximum value from every dollar you spend on lottery entertainment. Second chance entries are part of that equation.

Stop throwing away your losing tickets. Start entering them.

Want to find scratch-offs with the best odds before you buy? Savvy Scratch analyzes real-time prize data across multiple states so you can see which tickets actually have top prizes remaining. Stop guessing and start playing with better information. Get started →