Second-Chance Drawings: How to Enter Your Non-Winning Tickets

A ticket that didn’t win isn’t always finished. Many state lotteries run second-chance drawings, where you enter eligible non-winning tickets for another shot at cash and prizes. Entering usually takes just a few minutes once you have an account.

What a second-chance drawing is

It’s a separate prize drawing run by your state lottery. Instead of buying a new ticket, you submit tickets you already have. Each lottery decides which games qualify, what the prizes are and when the drawings happen.

You’ll see a few different names for the same idea:

• Second-chance or 2nd Chance drawings: regular drawings, often weekly, for tickets from certain games.
• Promotional drawings: tied to a specific scratch-off game or event, with their own prizes and entry deadlines.
• Bonus play or players club promotions: drawings, games and giveaways for registered members.

How entering usually works

The details vary by state, but the steps tend to look like this:

1. Create a free account on your state lottery’s official website or app. Most programs need you registered before you can submit anything.
2. Find the entry code or ticket number on your ticket. Some tickets carry a dedicated second-chance code; others use the ticket’s own number or barcode.
3. Submit it by typing the code in on the website, or scanning it with the lottery’s mobile app where that’s offered.
4. Watch for results. Lotteries post winners and contact them using the details in their account.
5. Hang on to your ticket. If you’re picked, you may need the original to claim.

Examples from state lotteries

Promotions change often, so treat these as snapshots. Each one was checked on the lottery’s official site in September 2026.

California: 2nd Chance

The California Lottery’s 2nd Chance program takes codes from eligible SuperLotto Plus tickets, non-winning Scratchers, and Fantasy 5 tickets of $5 or more. You log in to your account and submit the code, or scan it with the Lottery mobile app.

Entries are based on what you spent. For Scratchers and SuperLotto Plus, every $1 equals one entry, so a non-winning $10 Scratchers ticket gives you 10 entries. Fantasy 5 gives one entry for every $5 played. At the time we checked, the weekly draws were:

• SuperLotto Plus: five winners of $15,000 each
• Scratchers: 32 winners sharing $100,000
• Fantasy 5: 15 winners sharing $42,000

You can submit up to 500 codes a month, and the lottery says you could also be entered automatically into additional promotional draws.

Florida: Bonus Play promotions

The Florida Lottery runs its second-chance drawings as Bonus Play promotions, listed under the Promotions tab on its website. Here’s what its FAQ says:

• You register before your first entry.
• Entries are submitted online. Mailed entries are disqualified.
• You can enter a promotion up to 200 times a day, with a separate qualifying Scratch-Off ticket or voucher for each entry.
• Keep the ticket you entered, since a winner may need to present the original.
• The lottery tries to contact winners by phone, mail or email within one week of the drawing.
• You must be 18 or older to play.

Texas: Luck Zone

The Texas Lottery handles its promotional second-chance drawings through Luck Zone. Players register or log in, then enter non-winning scratch tickets into whichever promotions are active.

Pennsylvania: VIP Players Club

In Pennsylvania, Second Chance lives inside the VIP Players Club. The lottery describes it as the place to enter second-chance drawings, games, giveaways and special promotions. Each drawing has its own entry deadline and a date when winners are announced, all listed on the Second Chance page. There’s also a page of past second-chance winners.

Tips for finding your state’s program

• Start at the official lottery site. Look for words like “Second Chance,” “2nd Chance,” “Promotions,” “Bonus Play” or “Players Club.” Our state pages cover the basics for each state and list official sources.
• Get the official app. Many lotteries let you scan tickets in their own app, which beats typing long codes.
• Read the eligible games. Some programs take only scratch-offs, while others include certain draw games. Multi-state games aren’t always included.
• Note the deadlines. Promotional drawings have their own entry deadlines, so check the dates before you enter.
• Check every ticket first. Make sure a ticket really didn’t win before you enter it. Our ticket checker can help with Powerball and Mega Millions.
• Stick to official channels. Real second-chance programs run through your state lottery’s own website or app. If a message about a “second-chance prize” shows up out of nowhere, our lottery scams guide has tips for spotting a fake.

Your ticket buys your spot in the main draw, and a second-chance drawing is a little bonus fun after it. If you ever do get a winning call from your lottery, our guide on what to do if you win covers the next steps.