Scratchcards are a type of game you can buy in shops that offer a chance to win money by simply scratching the surface to reveal hidden symbols or numbers. Unlike draw-based games, which require you to wait for results, scratchcards show you straight away if you've won.
This blog explains how National Lottery scratchcards work in the UK, how to check if any possible prizes are still available, and what to be aware of before buying one. It may be especially useful if you're new to these types of games and want to understand how they function, what your chances are, and how to play responsibly.
National Lottery Scratch Cards Remaining Prizes Left
Scratchcards are printed and distributed with set outcomes. Each card is either a winner or not from the moment it’s made, not when you scratch it. This is known as a pre-printed outcome. The number of winning cards is fixed, and they're spread out randomly across the country to ensure fairness.
Many people assume that if a scratchcard is still on sale in shops, it must still have some of the top prizes available. That’s not always the case. Cards can still be legally sold after the highest value prizes have been claimed. Retailers are permitted to continue selling their remaining stock even if no jackpot prizes remain.
That’s why it may be a good idea to check which prizes are still available before buying. This can help you understand what’s still possible to win on each game.
How To Find Out What Prizes Are Left On Scratch Cards
If you’d like to see what potential prizes are still available, you can check this directly through the official National Lottery website at https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/games/gamestore/scratchcards. Here, you’ll find a full list of all currently available scratchcards. You’ll see each one listed by name, such as 10X, £2 Million Red, or Cats vs Dogs.
Next to each scratchcard, you can view:
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The game number
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The price per card (for example, £2, £3, or £5)
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The original top prize amount
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The number of possible prizes remaining across all prize tiers
You’ll also see the date when the prize information was last updated. This is normally refreshed daily.
Scratchcards with a double asterisk next to their name** have had extra top prizes added. This usually happens when a game has been especially popular. Cards marked with a triple asterisk *** show that the final top prize has already been won. No more packs of those scratchcards can be sent to shops, but they may still be on shelves while the remaining stock is sold.
Scratch Cards With No Jackpots Remaining
Once a scratchcard game’s last top prize has been claimed, no new packs of that game can be distributed to retailers. However, packs that were already sent out before this can continue to be sold.
Because of this, you may see scratchcards on sale that no longer offer the biggest prizes available. This is one reason why checking the remaining prizes on the National Lottery website can be useful before making a purchase. It can help you decide whether that particular game still offers the kind of prizes you may be interested in.
Which Scratch Card Is Most Likely To Win?
Scratchcards are designed as games of chance. This means the outcome is completely random, and there's no guaranteed method or strategy that can influence the result. Every scratchcard you see in shops already has its result printed on it before it's bought—whether it’s a winning card or not is decided during manufacturing.
Each scratchcard game has fixed odds. These odds tell you how likely it is that a card will potentially win any prize, including both low and high-value amounts. For instance, you might see odds like “1 in 2.6” printed on the back of a card. This means that, on average, 1 in every 2.6 cards might win a prize of some kind. This does not mean you’ll win if you buy three cards—it just shows the overall distribution across the entire print run.
Different games have different odds. Here are a few examples currently available in the UK:
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£25M Cash Boost Gold – overall chance of winning any prize: 1 in 2.43
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£1 Million Jackpot Blue – overall chance: 1 in 2.6
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Black Pearl – overall chance: 1 in 2.74
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£250,000 Jackpot Green – overall chance: 1 in 2.8
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£100,000 Jackpot Red – overall chance: 1 in 2.61
These figures are based on the total number of tickets printed, not on what’s left to be won. That means the odds are fixed regardless of when or where you buy the scratchcard. Winning cards are shuffled and spread randomly throughout the UK, so no region has a higher chance of receiving them.
If you want to check the odds before buying a scratchcard, you can do this on the official National Lottery website. Go to https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/games/gamestore/scratchcards and choose the name of the card you're interested in. When you click the name, a PDF will open with all the key details. This includes how to play the game, potential prize amounts, symbols, and the overall odds of winning any prize.
Reading this information can help you understand how each game works and what kind of returns are possible—though it’s important to remember that nothing is guaranteed and results are purely down to chance.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.