National Lottery Closes 18 Scratchcard Games
Last Updated: Thursday 24th September 2020, 10:59
The National Lottery has closed 18 scratchcard games as part of a routine tidying up of its instant win offerings. Players have until Wednesday 9th May to claim prizes from the affected games, or the cash will be transferred to the organisation’s Good Causes fund.
Which Scratchcards Have Closed?
Scratchcards ranging from Fast £500, which offered thousands of jackpot awards, to £4 Million Purple, which stood to make two lucky players multimillionaires, will soon leave the shelves. In addition, the lottery has retired instant win games developed in conjunction with well-known brands, such as PAC-MAN and Monopoly Millionaire 2017.
You can see the full list of National Lottery scratchcard closures at the Scratchcard Prizes page.
What Will Replace Them?
The National Lottery is constantly refreshing its line-up of games to keep them relevant, with many new titles based around the upcoming festivities. Christmas Countdown 2017, Stocking Filler and Santa’s Millions are bound to be snapped up in large numbers by shoppers caught up in the Yuletide spirit, whilst Frosty Fortunes seems apt now that more commuters are having to wake up ten minutes earlier to de-ice their cars before setting off for work.
New games are added at regular intervals, so make sure that you keep an eye on the Scratchcard Prizes page to find out the titles, prices and jackpots of any new scratchcards on the block.
What Should I Do With My Old Scratchcards?
If you have any of the outgoing scratchcards, you are advised to play the game and collect your prizes in good time. As with Lotto and EuroMillions awards, you have 180 days in which to make your claim. Here’s where you can collect store-bought scratchcard prizes:
- Up to £100 - Claim at any retailer, although those with till-point terminals may only pay out up to £50. Some larger retailers can pay up to £500.
- £100 - £50,000 - Collect at specific post offices or National Lottery regional centres.
- Over £50,000 - Ring the claims line on 0333 234 50 50 (calls cost the same as to 01 or 02 numbers).
You can also play scratchcards online to win instant prizes, or choose your numbers for tonight’s £33 million EuroMillions jackpot and Wednesday’s £15.6 million Lotto draw. Good luck!