Dec 22, 2025
Beginning January 2026, Colorado Lottery Scratch tickets will no longer include the printed Retailer Validation Codes that players sometimes notice under the scratch-off coating.
This update does not change how you play or claim prizes.
Retailer Validation Codes were small three-letter codes printed under the scratch area of a ticket. In the past, they served as a quick way for retailers to confirm whether a ticket was a winner. Today, scanning technology has fully replaced that process.
Since all tickets are already validated through our secure system — at retail counters or through Lottery vending machines — the printed codes aren’t needed anymore. Nothing about how you play or claim prizes is changing.
Tickets are checked the same way they are today and give you instant and accurate results.
- Scan your ticket at any Lottery retailer
- Use a self-serve vending machine or ticket checker
- Scan using the free Colorado Lottery mobile app
