Lottery Scratch Tickets Have an Expiry Date
What some people may not know is that lottery scratch tickets have an expiry date.
A general warning went out to consumers, reminding them that they should check the date of their ticket before they buy one.
If a lottery player wins on a card that has expired, the prize cannot be claimed.
Finding the expiry date is easy: Consumers simply need to flip it over and check the date.
An Edmonton woman learned about this the hard way after she went to cash in on a winning scratch and win lottery ticket.
She had purchased lottery tickets for family members for Christmas, and when one of them won a $5 prize, she was told that she couldn't claim it because it had already expired on New Year's Eve.
"I'm annoyed they would sell a ticket so close to being outdated," said the woman.
"This was a small prize, but I would be upset if it was a large prize and we weren't able to claim it."
Retailers may not be aware that they are required by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation to remove all scratch tickets from their shelves three months before they expire.
Retailers won't be out of pocket because they are credited by the WCLC for any returned tickets.
If the consumer can prove that the ticket was bought within 3 months of the expiry date, the case may be investigated by the corporation.
In some cases, retailers will receive warnings, or they will be required to undergo consumer training.
