Do you want to win the lottery? If so, you’re not the only one. Americans spend $70 billion on lottery tickets every year, including Virginia scratch-offs.
The idea of spending a few bucks to potentially earn millions is a dream for many people. We’ve all heard that winning the lottery is all based on luck. In reality, winning the lottery requires more than luck. You’ll need to create a winning strategy in order to see results.
This is especially true if you’re in Virginia. Fortunately, there are a variety of strategies to increase your chances of winning. Here are 8 strategies to win Virginia scratch-offs.
1. Read the Small Print
Do you read the fine print on, well, anything? Probably not. So why should you start reading between the lines on a scratch-off card? Surprisingly, these may reveal your chances of winning.
Some fine prints state how many cards have been printed out and the number of prizes you can claim. If you find a ticket with this information, you’ll have a good idea of the odds of winning.
Keep in mind, not all lottery tickets offer this information in the fine print.
2. Don’t Buy the Cheapest Card
It’s tempting to settle for the cheapest lottery ticket. This is a common mistake, especially for beginners.
Why are some lottery tickets cheaper than others? They have the lowest chance of winning. They’re produced in masses and come with fewer prizes. Expensive scratch cards have better odds of winning. Your chances are better if you only buy a couple of expensive tickets as opposed to multiple cheap ones.
With that being said…
3. Buy More Than One
Buying multiple lottery tickets is a common technique. That’s because it works. If you buy more than one ticket, you increase your chances of winning.
But how should you go about this technique? Should you purchase multiple cards from the same store? Or go to different stores and buy several cards?
More people are purchasing several cards from the same store. Many believe that lottery card manufacturers release winning tickets in one batch. However, there’s more proof that winning tickets are evenly distributed.
No matter what technique you use, don’t buy multiple lottery tickets unless your budget allows it. If not, you risk wasting more money than you have.
With that being said…
4. Remember Your Budget
The last thing you want to do is lose money. That’s why serious lottery players need to keep a strict lottery budget.
The budget you set depends on how much you make and how often you buy lottery tickets. For example, frequent players should set a weekly budget while occasional players can get away with a monthly budget.
Sure, your chances of winning won’t increase with this tactic. But if you don’t win, you can at least say you didn’t waste too much money.
5. Play Them Like the Slots
If you love the rush of going to Vegas, you can still experience this same excitement in Virginia. That’s because some of the same tricks apply.
A common slot technique is waiting around until the other players get burned out and leave. The machines go into a drought, which signals you may get the jackpot.
You can use this same mechanism for scratch-off tickets. Hang around a store for a bit (a few minutes at the most) and see how many people buy scratch off tickets. If you don’t see many sales, buy yourself a ticket.
The issue with this advice is you don’t want to be accused of loitering. That’s why another technique is to befriend the clerk and ask how often they’ve had winners and/or how many people bought lottery tickets.
If they’ve had winners but not many sales, take the opportunity to buy a couple of scratch-off tickets.
6. Check All Losing Tickets
Did you get one of the losing VA lottery scratchers? Don’t throw it out. It’s beneficial to submit all losing tickets, or at least as many as you can. There’s a chance there was an error on the card or maybe a mistake on your part.
Submitting tickets also have other benefits. If there was an error, you may receive compensation for the manufacturer’s mistake.
How do you submit a losing lottery ticket? You can do so on the VA Lottery website.
7. Keep Old Tickets
What happens if the lottery announces a winner but they never claim their prize? They may request other contestants and will find the “closest loser.” This is rare but it does happen. This is why you should never throw out your VA lottery tickets.
In addition, some state lotteries host promotions so losing players can still win prizes. You’ll submit your losing tickets and the state will draw a ticket for a prize.
8. Use the Singleton Method
When trying to win the scratch-off lottery, there are methods of madness you can use. The Singleton Method is one of them.
With this method, you analyze the card to pick up any symbols, numbers, or combinations of the two. This information can lead to a win.
This method was legitimate — so legitimate that scratch-off card manufacturers had to change their cards to not be so obvious. But the Singleton Method is still worth a shot.
Are You Still Struggling to Win Virginia Scratch-Offs?
Virginia scratch-offs are a great way to potentially earn lots of money without spending a fortune. But without the right strategy, you’ll only waste money.
While these tips are all effective, you can also look at past Virginia lottery winners for insight. We offer this information, you can view scratch-off secrets, and even more. All you need is a subscription.
Virginia residents can sign up for a subscription here.