Non-Winning Ticket? It Might Still Be a Lottery Winner—Read This Before You Throw It Away
Most players scratch a ticket, check a draw result, and toss it if nothing comes up. But if you’re doing that with West Virginia Lottery tickets, you may be leaving something on the table. Some tickets, whether they’re winners or not, can still be submitted for Second Chance drawings and earn PlayON points.
The PlayON rewards program is the West Virginia Lottery’s loyalty program, and it’s built specifically to get more out of every ticket you buy, not just the ones that pay out.
A non-winning ticket doesn’t always mean the end of the road, especially when programs like Second Chance drawings and rewards systems are available. Many players overlook how a non-winning ticket can still be scanned, entered, and used to earn points or additional entries for future prizes. By simply holding onto a non-winning ticket a little longer, you open the door to potential bonuses that go far beyond the original draw result.
What is a Second Chance drawing?
Second Chance drawings give eligible winning and non-winning tickets a shot at additional prizes through separate promotional draws run by the West Virginia Lottery. Instead of a ticket going straight in the trash after a non-win, you can submit it for an entry into one of these draws.
Prize pools vary by promotion. The West Virginia Lottery has run Second Chance draws with total prize pools exceeding $350,000, with individual prizes ranging from $5,000 up to $100,000. Not every promotion is active at all times, so check your iPLAY account or the West Virginia Lottery website to see what’s currently available.
How to submit a non-winning ticket
The process is straightforward. You’ll need a PlayON account, which is free to set up. You’ll be automatically enrolled once you sign up. If you prefer buying tickets in-store and don’t play online, you can still sign up for PlayON. Either way, you must be over 18 and physically located within West Virginia.
Once you’re signed up, open the iPLAY app and use the ticket scanner to scan your eligible scratch-off or draw game ticket. The app reads the barcode, credits your account with any applicable PlayON points, and enters you into any active Second Chance promotions the ticket qualifies for.
It takes a matter of seconds. And it works for both scratch-offs purchased in-store and draw game tickets.
PlayON points: what your non-winner is still worth
Beyond Second Chance entries, scanning eligible tickets also adds PlayON points to your account. Points can be used to enter PlayON Reward draws – separate drawings where your points act as entries – or redeemed through the Rewards section of your account for prizes.
Points expire 13 months after being earned, so it’s worth keeping your balance ticking over rather than letting it sit.
A few things to keep in mind
Not every ticket is eligible for every promotion, and Second Chance draws aren’t always running. Always check the current promotions on the West Virginia Lottery website or in your iPLAY account to confirm eligibility before submitting.
Scratch-off tickets can’t be played online – you can only scan them through the iPLAY app. This is different from draw games like POWERBALL© or MEGA MILLIONS®, which can be purchased directly through iPLAY.
And on the subject of timing: West Virginia Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games, or 180 days from the game end date for scratch-offs. Tickets submitted for Second Chance entries will have their own promotional windows, which are listed alongside each promotion.
The bottom line is simple. That ticket in your pocket might not have won the main draw, but it’s not necessarily done yet. There could still be money with your name on it.