Scratch-off monitoring FAQ

Concise answers about official reports, community evidence, state coverage, and Signal Pro.

What does ScratchSignal monitor?

ScratchSignal watches official Texas scratch-off reports. It shows the report date, every prize amount, and the comparisons we calculate. It is a software monitoring service, not a ticket seller or lottery operator.

Does an unclaimed prize mean the winning ticket is still in a store?

No. An officially reported unclaimed prize may already be printed on a ticket that was sold. The report does not establish unsold inventory, current store availability, or winnings.

Do more unclaimed prizes mean my odds improved?

No. The percentage only compares prizes reported unclaimed with the number originally listed for the same prize amounts. It does not show current odds, expected value, or the chance on the next ticket because Texas does not report how many tickets remain unsold.

What can these comparisons help me decide?

Choose a price or prize goal. ScratchSignal shows which games match those reported facts and which do not. A match is not a better bet or purchase recommendation, and it does not establish that a qualifying prize is on an unsold ticket.

What is the simplest way to use ScratchSignal before buying?

Set a spending limit and choose one goal. Remove games that do not match that goal on the report date, compare every prize amount for the games that remain, and check what changed. ScratchSignal can explain why a game does not match; it cannot identify a winning ticket or guarantee that a reported prize is unsold.

What does position by top-prize share mean?

It compares the share of top prizes reported unclaimed only among games with the same ticket price. Ties share a place. It is not an overall score, current odds, or a recommendation.

Does zero top prizes reported unclaimed mean the game ended or has no prizes?

No. It describes only the top tier as of the report date. Lower tiers may remain reported unclaimed, and official-report presence and the official close date are shown separately. For a user whose stated goal is the top prize, however, the game does not match that goal as of that report.

Where does the official Texas scratch-off data come from?

The current prize board uses the public scratch-off file from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Lottery and Charitable Bingo Division. ScratchSignal links the exact source and shows both the Texas report date and when ScratchSignal checked it.

Is ScratchSignal affiliated with a state lottery program?

No. ScratchSignal is independently operated and is not endorsed by Texas, TDLR, or any other state lottery program.

What does a game update request do today?

It saves your request for one game and tells you when automated report-change emails launch. It does not mean a prize is due, the ticket is available, or the game is worth buying.

What is the ScratchSignal modeled ticket estimate?

It is a model estimate that combines the official approximate ticket count, the published overall odds based on the end-of-production prize structure, and complete reported prize counts. It assumes winning and losing tickets leave the market at the same rate and treats every unclaimed prize as though its ticket remains unsold. That assumption can be wrong, so the result is not official current odds, inventory, a prediction, or a recommendation.

What does the best model result mean?

It is the most favorable estimated ticket frequency for the outcome you chose among complete games at one ticket price. It is a proprietary-model comparison, not proof of the best current odds, best ticket, value, or likely winner.

How are retailer store signals generated?

Store signals start with game-specific monthly retailer sales history from the Texas Open Data Portal, then add signed-in player reports. Reports are labeled recent through 24 hours, aging through 72 hours, and stale through seven days. When two recent accounts report the same thing, the store check can say it has support from more than one player. Conflicts stay unresolved, stale reports are excluded from the current signal, and no recent report means the store status is unknown. These signals do not establish inventory, availability, odds, or a retailer recommendation.

Why share that I bought or saw a game at a store?

A new report helps other users see how recently someone saw, bought, or did not see that game at a store. Purchase reports count slightly more, but several accounts are still needed. ScratchSignal does not ask for a ticket photo, barcode, serial number, or claim number in this flow.

Which states are live on ScratchSignal?

Texas is the only live prize-report market. Texas retailer signals are also available. We are still checking official prize and retailer information for Indiana, Colorado, and Michigan, so ScratchSignal does not publish comparisons or location signals for those states yet.

How much does Signal Pro cost?

Signal Pro costs $4.99 USD per month. It includes every current game in the latest Texas report we checked, compares up to four games, filters by exact price and prize goal, and shows deeper count comparisons, same-price model sorting for eligible games whose inputs pass, and a per-prize model column that shows a number only when all required inputs pass and Texas reports one or more unclaimed prizes, plus up to fifteen retailer locations per store-signal search. Model estimates use limited evidence and are not official current odds. It does not provide expected value or a ticket recommendation. Billing and cancellation are handled by Stripe.

Review current state coverage, see the complete methodology, or contact support.