Scratch-off lottery tickets, commonly known as “scratchers”, are a popular form of lottery game in Illinois and many other states. Scratchers come printed on cardboard tickets that are covered with a thin latex coating that can be scratched off to reveal symbols or prize amounts underneath. Scratchers are sold in Illinois by the state lottery in books containing multiple tickets. So how many scratchers come in a typical book sold in Illinois?
Types of Scratchers Sold in Illinois
The Illinois Lottery offers a wide variety of scratch-off games for sale at any given time. Some of the current scratcher games available in Illinois include:
- Cash Bonanza
- Double Doubler
- Loteria
- $5,000,000 Fortune
- The MS Project
- Money Bags
- Monopoly Jackpot
New scratcher games are introduced regularly, while older games are retired as they sell out. Games range in price from $1 up to $30 per ticket. There are typically around 40-50 different scratcher games available for sale at a given time in Illinois.
Scratcher Books
Scratchers in Illinois are sold in books containing multiple tickets. Books contain a fixed number of tickets – they are not random. The number of tickets in a book depends on the price point and game:
- $1 and $2 games: 60 tickets per book
- $3 games: 30 tickets per book
- $5 and $10 games: 15 tickets per book
- $20 games: 10 tickets per book
- $25 games: 8 tickets per book
- $30 games: 6 tickets per book
So for example, a book of $1 scratchers will always contain 60 tickets. Books of $20 tickets will always have 10 tickets. The number per book does not vary.
Why Books Have a Fixed Number of Tickets
There are a few key reasons why scratcher books in Illinois contain a fixed number of tickets:
- Inventory tracking – Having a set number of tickets per book allows for easier tracking of inventory and accounting. The lottery knows exactly how many active tickets are out there.
- Security – A set number per book helps prevent theft or tampering. If books had random ticket counts, it would be harder to track and reconcile inventories.
- Retailer commissions – Retailers who sell scratchers earn a commission based on a percentage of sales. Fixed ticket counts allow commissions to be calculated accurately.
- Prize control – The lottery can control how many top prizes are distributed by printing a set number of winners across books.
So in summary, fixed ticket counts per book provide security, inventory control, and prize integrity for the lottery.
Total Number of Tickets Printed
The Illinois Lottery prints millions of scratch-off tickets every year to meet demand across the state. The Lottery releases regular reports that provide insights into how many tickets are printed annually.
According to Illinois Lottery records, here are the total instant scratch tickets printed for the last 5 fiscal years:
| Fiscal Year | Total Scratch Tickets Printed |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 105,543,000 |
| 2019 | 102,956,000 |
| 2020 | 95,248,000 |
| 2021 | 94,151,000 |
| 2022 | 95,972,000 |
As the table shows, around 100 million scratch tickets are printed by the Illinois Lottery each year to meet demand. The number fluctuates year to year based on sales and popularity.
Estimating Total Books Printed
Knowing the total number of tickets printed, we can estimate the total number of scratcher books that would be generated each year in Illinois.
Let’s take 2022 as an example. With 95,972,000 total scratch tickets printed, we can divide by the average book sizes to estimate total books:
- Around 1,599,533 books of $1 scratchers (60 tickets per book)
- Around 3,199,067 books of $2 scratchers (60 tickets per book)
- Around 3,199,067 books of $3 scratchers (30 tickets per book)
- Around 6,398,133 books of $5 scratchers (15 tickets per book)
- Around 9,597,200 books of $10 scratchers (15 tickets per book)
- Around 9,597,200 books of $20 scratchers (10 tickets per book)
- Around 11,996,500 books of $25 scratchers (8 tickets per book)
- Around 15,995,333 books of $30 scratchers (6 tickets per book)
Adding up all the books from the various price points, we can estimate a total of around 61,682,033 scratcher books printed for 2022. This is only an estimate, but it helps give an idea of the scale of scratcher production!
Factors Impacting Number of Books
The actual number of scratcher books printed by the Illinois Lottery in a year depends on a few key factors:
- Sales trends – More books are printed when scratcher sales are strong to meet higher demand.
- New games introduced – Introducing new scratcher games requires ramping up production.
- Old games retired – Removing old scratcher games decreases overall production needs.
- Prizes remaining – Books may be added if top prizes are still available on certain games.
- Inventory management – Production is aligned to prevent excess inventory buildup.
So the Lottery closely monitors trends and inventory levels to determine how many scratcher books and tickets to print in a given year. The goal is to maximize sales while avoiding waste and excess inventory.
Scratcher Manufacturing Process
The production of scratcher tickets and books for the Illinois Lottery follows a standardized manufacturing process:
- Game specifications are developed – prize structure, art, ticket count, etc.
- Tickets are printed on large sheets using secure printers.
- Play symbols and latex coating are applied to tickets.
- Sheets are cut into individual tickets.
- Tickets are sorted and bundled into books.
- Books are shrink wrapped and labeled with barcodes.
- Finished books are delivered to lottery warehouses for distribution.
Stringent security measures are followed throughout the printing process. Ticket production takes place at secure facilities authorized by the lottery. Distribution of tickets to retailer locations is tightly controlled and tracked.
Scratcher Shipping and Distribution
After being printed and packaged into books, scratcher tickets are distributed from Illinois Lottery warehouses to the network of licensed retailer locations across the state. Retailers place orders to replenish scratcher inventory as needed.
Scratchers are shipped to retailers by:
- Armored courier vehicles
- Third-party delivery services
- Direct shipping from warehouses
Shipments are scanned and tracked at multiple points along the distribution chain. Inventory numbers are reconciled to ensure all ticket books are properly accounted for. Retailers confirm receipt of new inventory against shipping manifests. This ensures that scratcher books arrive securely at retail locations.
Scratcher Inventory Management
Retailers must closely manage scratcher inventory they receive. Steps include:
- Storing books securely in a limited access area
- Organizing books according to game, price point, and inventory received date
- Tracking books pulled from storage to sell to customers
- Reconciling tickets scanned vs tickets activated to identify any gaps
- Placing orders with Lottery to replenish popular games
- Removing and returning books for games being retired
Proper inventory management ensures retailers have the right mix of scratcher games in stock to meet customer demand. It also prevents losses due to theft or accounting errors.
Retailer Commissions
Illinois retailers earn commissions for selling scratcher tickets. Commissions provide an incentive for retailers to actively promote and sell lottery games. Retailers earn the following commissions on scratcher sales:
- 5% commission on $1 – $10 scratchers
- 6% commission on $20+ scratchers
With fixed ticket counts per book, retailers can easily calculate their expected commission per book sold. If each $1 ticket book contains 60 tickets, a retailer earns 5% x $60 = $3 commission per book. Higher price point books earn larger commissions due to the 6% rate.
Scratcher Ticket Validation
To redeem scratcher prizes, customers must go through a ticket validation process. Retailers and Illinois Lottery offices can validate tickets.
Validation involves:
- Scanning the ticket barcode
- Checking the ticket security number
- Confirming the prize match against the game’s prize structure
This process confirms the scratcher is an official winning ticket and has not already been redeemed. All cash prizes up to $600 can be claimed at retailer locations. Larger prizes must be claimed at designated redemption centers.
Unclaimed Scratcher Prizes
For a variety of reasons, some winning scratcher tickets in Illinois go unclaimed by players. Common causes include:
- Tickets getting lost or accidentally thrown away
- Players not noticing they have a winning ticket
- Winning tickets expiring before being redeemed
For scratchers, players have 1 year from the announced end-of-game date to claim prizes. Unclaimed prizes go back to the state per Illinois lottery rules.
From fiscal years 2011 to 2020, over $293 million in scratcher prizes went unclaimed in Illinois.
Unclaimed Scratcher Prizes in Illinois
| Fiscal Year | Unclaimed Prizes |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $16.2 million |
| 2012 | $24.7 million |
| 2013 | $30.4 million |
| 2014 | $19.7 million |
| 2015 | $24.1 million |
| 2016 | $43.5 million |
| 2017 | $26.5 million |
| 2018 | $22.9 million |
| 2019 | $41.9 million |
| 2020 | $43.3 million |
As the table shows, tens of millions in scratcher prizes go unclaimed each year, averaging around $25-30 million annually.
Scratchers and Responsible Gaming
While scratchers are fun, inexpensive entertainment for most, some individuals have issues with excessive or irresponsible play. The Illinois Lottery promotes responsible gaming through:
- Advertising guidelines to avoid promoting excessive play
- Messaging about responsible play and setting limits
- Resources for problem gambling treatment
- Voluntary self-exclusion program for players
- Prohibiting play for those under 18
Scratcher books support responsible play by having fixed ticket counts that prevent continuous rapid play. Players have to take a brief pause when they finish one book before buying another.
Conclusion
In summary, scratcher books sold by the Illinois Lottery contain a standardized number of tickets based on the game price:
- $1-$2 games have 60 tickets per book
- $3 games have 30 tickets per book
- $5-$10 games have 15 tickets per book
- $20+ games have 10 or fewer tickets per book
This fixed ticket count provides security, inventory control, and prize management benefits. The Illinois Lottery prints over 100 million scratchers annually, translating to tens of millions of individual books. Scratchers provide fun entertainment to players when enjoyed responsibly. Unclaimed prizes contribute funds back to the state.