A lottery ticket that will not scan has not necessarily been checked and found non-winning. A camera may fail to read the barcode, the app may not support that ticket, or the system may return a status that needs a different response. Start by distinguishing a failed scan from a completed ticket check.

Keep the original ticket while troubleshooting. Do not alter the barcode, discard the ticket because of an error, or publish a clear image of its validation details to ask strangers for help.

This guide provides a practical sequence for identifying the problem. App features vary by lottery, so use the selling operator’s current instructions for supported tickets, the correct barcode and authorized checking options.

Identify what happened on screen

A camera view that never recognizes a barcode is different from an app that reads the code and then displays a message. In the first case, the problem may be image capture or barcode selection. In the second, the system has progressed far enough to return a status.

Write down the exact wording. “Unable to scan,” “unsupported ticket,” “not drawn yet” and “not a winner” do not mean the same thing. Avoid paraphrasing every message as “invalid,” because that can erase the clue needed to solve the issue.

If the message is brief, take a screenshot of the message while excluding sensitive ticket information. Record the app name and the approximate time. Those details can help official support reproduce or explain the problem.

Do not assume a red symbol or warning sound always means a loss. Interface colors and sounds can represent technical errors as well as ticket outcomes. The text and the operator’s explanation are more informative.

Confirm you are using the correct official app

A lottery scanner may support only tickets issued by its own operator. A ticket for a multi-state game does not necessarily become readable by every state’s app merely because the game name is familiar.

The Michigan Lottery, for example, describes its scanner as supporting specified Michigan tickets bought in-store and identifies a ticket type it does not scan. That illustrates why eligibility should be checked before spending time adjusting the camera.

Obtain the app through the operator’s official website or verified store listing. A generic barcode scanner can decode a symbol without having access to the lottery’s ticket-validation system. Reading encoded text is not the same as determining a prize.

Also distinguish a number-entry checker from a ticket scanner. A manual checker compares the values you type with a result. It does not authenticate the physical ticket or automatically know the correct date, add-ons or remaining drawings.

Find the barcode the app expects

Some tickets contain more than one machine-readable symbol or printed identifier. A retail product code, a ticket-checking barcode and a second-chance entry code can serve different purposes.

Use the operator’s illustrated instructions to identify the correct area. Do not assume the largest barcode is always the one the app needs. A ticket design can change, and different game types can place their codes differently.

California’s mobile-app guidance distinguishes Check-A-Ticket and second-chance scanning. That is a useful example of why the feature you selected inside the app matters as well as the symbol you point at.

If you are in a second-chance submission screen, an error there does not automatically tell you the result of the original game. Return to the feature intended for checking the ticket, and consult the official instructions if the distinction is unclear.

Improve the camera view without modifying the ticket

Place the ticket on a flat surface under even light. Hold the phone steadily and allow the camera to focus. Keep the complete expected barcode inside the scanning area rather than cutting off an edge.

If glare obscures the print, change the angle of the light or phone. Avoid covering part of the code with a finger. A small adjustment in distance may help the camera focus better than moving continuously closer.

Check that the app has camera permission and that the camera lens is clean. If the view is blurry in other camera uses too, the problem may be the device rather than the ticket.

These are ordinary image-capture checks, not guarantees. Stop if further handling risks damaging the ticket. Do not redraw missing lines, apply chemicals, heat the paper or tape over printed information in an attempt to make a code look clearer.

Separate a damaged ticket from an unreadable camera image

A perfectly readable ticket can be difficult to photograph because of lighting or focus. A genuinely damaged barcode is a different issue. Creases, fading, tears or missing print may require the operator’s instructions.

Preserve the ticket in its current condition. If you make a private photograph for your records, capture what is visible without editing or reconstructing the code. An enhanced image does not become an official replacement ticket.

Contact the selling lottery or an authorized retailer to ask about the next checking step. Do not assume that a serial number entered into an unrelated website can establish the ticket’s validity.

The outcome depends on the operator’s rules and the available record. This guide cannot promise that a damaged ticket will be payable. Its purpose is to keep a technical problem from becoming worse through unnecessary alteration or disposal.

Check connectivity and service availability

Some scanning features need a network connection after reading the barcode. A successful camera capture can therefore be followed by a connection or service error. That is different from a final ticket outcome.

Check whether the device has a working connection and whether the operator has posted a service notice. Close and reopen the app if its instructions recommend that basic step. Use an official update if the installed version is outdated.

Avoid repeatedly submitting sensitive ticket information to alternative apps while troubleshooting. A new app is not automatically a trustworthy solution, especially if it requests payment or unusual permissions to “verify” a prize.

If the official service remains unavailable, keep the ticket and use another authorized route listed by the operator. There is no need to convert a temporary technical failure into a conclusion about the drawing.

A successful scan can still require careful reading

After a code is recognized, read the full response. A multi-draw ticket may have completed entries and future entries. A response about one stage of the ticket should not be stretched into a conclusion about all its coverage.

Similarly, a message directing you to a retailer or lottery office is an instruction to use that process, not a dollar amount. Do not infer a large prize merely from an unusual response.

If a scan and a manual number check disagree, recheck the game, draw date, complete line and special-ball field. A manual entry tool can accurately evaluate incorrectly copied numbers.

Our ticket checker is useful for comparing selections, while official validation remains the operator’s responsibility. Keep those two functions separate.

A troubleshooting example

Imagine a player points a state lottery app at a ticket and nothing happens. The first questions are whether the ticket is supported and whether the correct code is in view. Looking up jackpot odds would not address this problem.

Now imagine the app recognizes the code but says the drawing has not occurred. The camera is working; the next task is to check the printed draw date. Repeatedly cleaning the lens would not change that status.

Finally, imagine the app displays a completed result that differs from a handwritten comparison. The next task is to compare the original entry and correct official drawing again, then seek authorized clarification if needed.

These three cases can all be described casually as “the scanner isn’t working,” but they require different actions. Describing the stage of failure is the most useful troubleshooting skill.

What to tell official support

Provide the game name, the selling jurisdiction, the app name, the device type and the exact message. Explain whether the camera failed to recognize the code or whether a message appeared after recognition.

Mention the drawing date if relevant and whether the ticket covers multiple drawings. Say which official instructions you already followed. That helps support avoid repeating steps that did not address the issue.

Use the operator’s secure channel for any ticket identifiers it legitimately requests. Do not place a complete barcode, claim code or account information in a public review or social-media post.

You can ask a concise question: “This supported ticket will not scan in the official app; the camera recognizes the code and then shows this message. What authorized checking method should I use?” That identifies the problem without speculating about a prize.

Keep deadlines separate from technical troubleshooting

A scanner problem does not automatically pause a claim deadline. If the ticket may qualify and time is short, contact the selling lottery promptly for instructions.

Our claim-deadline guide explains where to find the applicable period. Use the specific game and jurisdiction rather than relying on a general number of days.

If the ticket is lost rather than merely unreadable, the situation is different. See what to do after losing a ticket and contact the operator. A scan history or photograph may be useful information, but should not be assumed to replace the original.

A sensible stopping point is an authorized answer, not endless experimentation. Once simple camera and app checks fail, preserve the ticket and let the operator explain the next step.

The main distinction remains: a failed scan is a technical or eligibility problem until the actual message establishes otherwise. Treat it as an unresolved check, keep the evidence intact, and use the selling lottery’s process to reach a reliable result.

Use a stopping rule for troubleshooting

A sensible troubleshooting sequence has an endpoint. Confirm the official app and supported ticket, identify the expected barcode, try a steady well-lit scan, and note the exact response. If those steps do not resolve the issue, move to the operator’s authorized support or retailer route.

Repeatedly bending the paper, rubbing the code or trying unverified apps can create new problems without providing new information. Stop before an unreadable camera image becomes a physically damaged ticket.

A useful private note records which stage failed: no camera recognition, recognition followed by a service error, or a completed response you do not understand. That stage is more valuable to support than the number of times you pressed scan.

If you need another person’s help with the phone, keep control of the original ticket and avoid sending a full ticket image through an unrelated messaging channel. You can often demonstrate the error screen without exposing the validation area.

Once an authorized process produces a clear result, record it and any remaining instructions. If the ticket includes future drawings, retain the appropriate official record for those entries. Troubleshooting is complete when the relevant question is resolved, not merely when the camera finally makes a sound.

Browse all ticket-checking and probability guides in the Lottery Learning Library.

Sources and further reading

• Michigan Lottery: scanner eligibility and support
• California Lottery: mobile ticket-checking guidance

Reviewed October 18, 2026. Examples are illustrative unless identified otherwise. Winning Numbers Today is an independent information website; the selling lottery validates tickets and pays prizes.