Guide to ‘Dead’ Jackpots: The Scratchcard Issue Many Players Are Shocked to Discover
Most players assume that if a National Lottery scratchcard is still on sale, the jackpot must still be available. In reality, a scratchcard can remain on sale even after every top prize has already been claimed. This is what players call a dead jackpot — and it’s far more common than people realise.
The National Lottery does publish prize‑remaining data, but most players never check it. Scratchcard.ai was created to make this information clear, visible and easy to understand, so players never unknowingly buy a card with zero chance of winning the headline prize.
How to Spot a Dead Jackpot on the National Lottery Website
The National Lottery uses a symbol to indicate that a scratchcard’s jackpot is gone:
“***” — All Top Prizes Have Been Claimed
When you see *** beside a scratchcard name, it means:
- The last top prize has been claimed
- No new packs can be put on sale
- Retailers may sell only the stock already on display
- The jackpot is permanently unavailable
The official wording on the National Lottery website is:
“The last top prize has been claimed. No new packs of these Scratchcards can be put on sale – only Scratchcards that are already on display can be sold.”
This is the National Lottery’s formal confirmation that the game is now a dead jackpot.
Why Dead Jackpots Happen
Scratchcards are printed in fixed batches.
If all top prizes are claimed, the remaining cards still legally remain on sale until:
- retailers sell through existing stock
- the operator formally closes the game
This means a player can buy a card that looks exactly the same, but has zero chance of winning the top prize.
What the Code of Practice Actually Requires
The National Lottery’s Code of Practice for Scratchcards sets out operator obligations when top prizes run out.
When the final top prize is claimed, the operator must:
- Stop distributing new packs of that scratchcard
- Mark the game clearly on the website (using “***”) with updated prize‑remaining data
- Allow retailers to sell through existing stock
- Begin the withdrawal process
- Provide a 180‑day claim window after the official closure date
There is a Category 1 (Over £50,000) and Category 2 (Under £50,000) distinction based on the size of the Top prize. This affects the timeframe that Allwyn has to take actions e.g.: on Category 1 cards, they have 48 hours to update the website with the “***”, whereas with Category 2 they have 72 hours.
One of the Reasons Scratchcard.ai Was Created
Most players:
- don’t check prize‑remaining data terms
- don’t know what “***” means
- assume a card on sale still has a jackpot
Scratchcard.ai was built to help with this - our AI Score automatically:
- detects when a game becomes a dead‑jackpot game
- downweights the score sharply
- flags the game as Avoid
- highlights that the jackpot is gone
Why Online Instant Win Games Don’t Have Dead Jackpots
Online instant‑win games use RNG systems, not printed batches.
This means:
- jackpots never “run out”
- the prize structure resets automatically
- there is no fixed stock
- no risk of buying a dead game
This is one of the reasons online instant‑win games have grown in popularity.
It is important to note, than many online games at regulated bookmakers - don't offer Good cause charity contributions - whereas they do at the National Lottery.
Progressive Jackpots: Even Bigger Online Prizes
Some online instant‑win games offer progressive jackpots, which grow as more people play before it drops. These can exceed:
- £1 million
- £2 million
- £3 million+
Examples include:
- Deal or No Deal Progressive Jackpot Instant Win
- King Kong Progressive Jackpot Instant Win
These jackpots cannot completely disappear the way retail scratchcard jackpots can.
Game Closures and Claim Deadlines
When a scratchcard is officially closed:
- retailers must stop selling it
- players have 180 days (6 months) to claim prizes
- after that, unclaimed prizes expire
You can currently see them here - however Scratchcard.ai will soon launch a dedicated Game Closures page where players can check:
- closure dates
- final claim deadlines
Why Dead Jackpots Matter
Dead jackpots matter because:
- players often buy scratchcards for the top prize
- a card can look normal even when the jackpot is gone
- retailers are allowed to keep selling remaining stock
- the National Lottery does not withdraw all scratchcards immediately
- many players unknowingly buy cards with no chance of the headline prize
One of our objectives is to make this transparent and easy to understand.