Top Prizes Left on UK Scratchcards: How to Check Before You Buy
This is an editorial guide provided for information only. fortunegames.com is an online slots site and is not affiliated with, nor an agent of, the National Lottery, Allwyn or People's Postcode Lottery. Prizes, odds and ticket prices are set by the relevant operator and can change — always check the official site for the latest details.
Here's something many scratchcard buyers don't realise: the National Lottery publishes how many top prizes are still unclaimed on every scratchcard game. A card can stay on sale long after its biggest prizes have all been won — so a quick check before you buy tells you whether the headline prize is even still available.
Why it matters
Scratchcards have a fixed number of prizes printed across the whole print run. As cards are sold and winners claim, those prizes get ticked off. The card keeps selling until the run is exhausted, which means you can buy a "£100,000 top prize" card where every £100,000 prize was claimed months ago. Checking first means you're playing for prizes that genuinely remain.
How to check remaining prizes
- Go to the official National Lottery scratchcards section.
- Open the specific game you're interested in.
- Look for the "prizes remaining" table, which lists each prize tier and how many are left.
- Compare the top tiers across a few cards at the same price point.
What to look for
A newly launched card will have all or most top prizes intact. An older card may have its biggest prizes gone but plenty of mid-tier prizes left. Neither is "better" — it depends whether you're chasing the headline jackpot or steadier smaller wins. The point is simply to make an informed choice rather than a blind one.
A realistic note on odds
Checking remaining prizes improves your information, not your underlying odds on any single card — scratchcards are games of chance and the overall odds are printed on each game. Treat them as entertainment with a fixed cost, never as a way to make money.
Frequently asked questions
Where are remaining prizes published?
On the official National Lottery website, per game.
Do shops know which cards still have prizes?
Not at an individual-card level — draws are random across the print run.
Are scratchcard winnings taxed?
No, they're tax-free in the UK.