MN Lottery 2nd Chance Guide (2026): How To Enter, Win, And Claim Non-Winning Tickets In Minnesota

The Minnesota Lottery 2nd Chance program allows players to transform non-winning scratch and select draw game tickets into entries for cash jackpots, luxury vehicles, experiential prize packages, and merchandise. Rather than discarding an unscored ticket purchased at an authorized Minnesota retailer, players use the state's secure digital ecosystem to submit their ticket codes for scheduled secondary drawings throughout the calendar year.

Operating under the oversight of the Minnesota State Lottery, these promotional drawings provide legal, regulated opportunities to capture value from tickets that did not produce an instant payout. Entering requires an understanding of eligible game series, specific validation code locations, entry deadlines, and state-mandated tax withholdings on promotional earnings.

How the Minnesota Lottery 2nd Chance System Functions

The promotional framework is integrated into the official Minnesota Lottery digital platform, accessible via desktop web browsers and the Minnesota Lottery mobile app for iOS and Android. Physical tickets cannot be mailed directly to lottery headquarters for entry; all submissions must be logged digitally into a registered player account.

Every eligible scratch game features a distinct pack, ticket, and entry code printed beneath the latex scratch-off coating. When you submit this sequence into the system, the platform validates the ticket against the central gaming database managed by the Minnesota Lottery. Once validated, the ticket is converted into an assigned number of drawing entries determined by the game's official rules.

Higher-priced scratch tickets ($10, $20, or $50 denominations) generally award a higher volume of entries per ticket than $1, $2, or $5 tickets. Drawing schedules are established at the launch of each promotional campaign, with cut-off dates strictly enforced down to the minute. Once a promotional window closes, random computerized drawings select winners under the observation of independent auditing personnel to ensure absolute regulatory integrity.

Eligible Games and Active Promotional Structures

Not every ticket printed by the state qualifies for secondary drawings. The Minnesota Lottery designates specific scratch games and occasional seasonal draw promotions for 2nd Chance participation.

Scratch games linked to 2nd Chance promotions typically display a prominent promotional banner across the top or bottom of the ticket face. These fall into several core categories:

• Cash-Only Drawing Pools: Standard recurring promotions where non-winning tickets from a specific family of games (such as crosswords, multiplier games, or holiday editions) qualify for monthly or quarterly cash prizes ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.
• Merchandise and Experience Packages: Co-branded partnerships with regional sports franchises (such as the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, or Minnesota Wild) and entertainment venues. Prizes frequently include season tickets, VIP stadium tours, outdoor recreation equipment, and customized gear packages.
• Vehicle and Trip Giveaways: High-denomination scratch games offering fully outfitted trucks, recreational vehicles, or curated travel itineraries, often including an additional cash payout designated to offset initial ownership expenses.
• Draw Game Promotions: Select limited-run promotions tied to Powerball, Mega Millions, Gopher 5, or Northstar Cash where purchasing a specific threshold or sequence generates an entry voucher containing a unique web entry code.

Players must confirm that the specific ticket game number—a four-digit code identifying the title—matches the active promotions listed inside their player account before attempting entry.

Step-by-Step: How to Enter Non-Winning Tickets

To ensure your submissions are valid and properly recorded in the state drawing pool, follow this standard technical procedure:

1. Establish an Official Player Account: Navigate to the official Minnesota Lottery website or launch the authorized mobile application. Create an account by providing your legal name, current residential address, valid email, and date of birth. You must be at least 18 years of age to open an account and enter drawings.
2. Verify Your Physical Location: While entries can be managed digitally, participants must comply with state jurisdictional requirements. The mobile app leverages device geolocation services to confirm eligibility inside permitted operational boundaries.
3. Prepare the Non-Winning Ticket: Ensure the ticket is completely scratched, particularly the area containing the barcode and validation characters. For scratch tickets, locate the 8-to-14 digit code beneath the scratch-off surface near the bottom of the play area, distinct from the barcode printed on the back.
4. Execute the Digital Submission:
   
   
   • Using the Mobile App: Select the barcode scanner tool within the application interface. Frame the ticket’s exposed validation barcode within your camera viewfinder. The app automatically scans the digits and confirms submission.
   • Using Web Browser Entry: Manually type the game number, pack number, ticket number, and entry code into the designated input fields within the 2nd Chance submission portal.
5. Review the Confirmation Log: Check your account transaction history immediately following the scan or manual submission. The dashboard displays the date, ticket serial data, promotion title, and total entries assigned.
6. Retain or Recycle the Physical Ticket: The Minnesota Lottery generally does not require the physical presentation of non-winning scratch tickets to claim 2nd Chance promotional prizes once successfully registered to your verified account. However, preserving the physical ticket in a secure folder until the formal drawing concludes and winners are announced remains a sound risk-mitigation practice against data disputes.

Minnesota 2nd Chance Entry Methods Compared

Understanding the structural differences between entry pathways helps streamline your submissions and avoid administrative disqualification.

Claim Procedures, Notification, and Headquarters Validation

Winning a 2nd Chance drawing involves a formal verification procedure distinct from scanning a winning $20 scratch ticket at a convenience store counter.

Official Winner Notification

Winners are never notified through unsolicited SMS links, direct messages on social media platforms, or telephone requests demanding instant administrative fees. The Minnesota Lottery contacts legitimate 2nd Chance winners through:

• The verified email address linked to the player account.
• Certified mail or registered parcel delivered to the address listed on the account profile.
• Public posting of the winner’s first name, last initial, and city of residence on the official Minnesota Lottery website's drawing results page.

Operational Security Notice: The Minnesota Lottery will never instruct you to wire funds, purchase prepaid gift cards, or send cryptocurrency to release a promotional prize. Any communication requesting an upfront payment to release 2nd Chance funds is fraudulent.

Prize Claim Protocols

Prizes under $600 are occasionally credited straight to an authorized digital wallet profile or distributed via mailed check, depending on the promotion's operational terms. However, all prizes valued at $600 or higher require completion of an official Minnesota Lottery Claim Form alongside standard state validation steps:

1. Documentation Requirements: You must supply two forms of identification, including a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID card, or passport) and proof of your Social Security Number (Social Security card, W-2, or formal tax document).
2. Mail Claims vs. In-Person Claims: Prizes between $600 and $50,000 can be processed via certified mail sent to the state lottery claim processing office or submitted directly at regional claim centers.
3. Headquarters Validation ($50,000+): Prizes exceeding $50,000 must be claimed in person at the Minnesota State Lottery Headquarters, located at:
   
   
   • Address: 2645 Long Lake Road, Roseville, MN 55113
   • Phone: (651) 635-8100
   • Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (excluding state holidays)

All claims must be submitted within the precise deadline stated in the official winner notification correspondence—typically 30 days from the initial drawing verification date. Failure to claim within the window causes the prize to default to an alternate winner chosen during the certified drawing.

State and Federal Tax Realities for Promotional Prizes

Lottery prizes earned via 2nd Chance promotions are considered taxable gambling income by the Internal Revenue Service and the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Non-cash prizes—such as vehicles, vacations, and electronics—are assigned a Fair Market Value (FMV) and are taxed under identical statutory structures.

Withholding Thresholds on Prizes Over $5,000

When a 2nd Chance prize exceeds $5,000, the Minnesota Lottery is required by law to withhold mandatory taxes at the source before issuing payment:

• Federal Tax Withholding: Fixed statutory rate of 24% for U.S. citizens and resident aliens with a valid Social Security Number.
• Minnesota State Tax Withholding: Fixed statutory rate of 7.25% withheld on the gross taxable winnings.
• Net Distribution Baseline: Approximately 68.75% of a cash prize is disbursed directly to the winner at the time of claim.

Winners receive an official IRS Form W-2G detailing the total gross prize valuation and total taxes withheld. Depending on your overall annual household income, your final tax burden may be higher or lower than the amounts withheld at disbursement. If you win a physical asset, like an SUV valued at $60,000, you are responsible for paying the associated state and federal tax liabilities, though select grand prizes bundle a supplemental cash allowance specifically to cover these withholding obligations.

Strategic Troubleshooting and Common Pitfalls

Technical friction or account disqualifications can disrupt your entries if standard operational steps are overlooked:

• Duplicate Entry Errors: A code can only be submitted once across the entire network. If you attempt to re-enter a ticket you previously scanned, or if you enter a ticket found in public that was already scanned by another player, the interface flags the ticket as "Already Entered."
• Physical Code Abrasion: Aggressive scratching can shear away critical characters or ruin the optical legibility of the 2nd Chance barcode. If the numbers cannot be read visually or digitally, contact the Minnesota Lottery Customer Support division. Support representatives can manually trace the ticket using the serial numbers running along the reverse side of the card stock.
• Cut-off Deadlines and Time Zones: Drawing cut-offs operate strictly on Central Time (CT). A deadline scheduled for 11:59 PM CT rejects submissions recorded at 12:00 AM CT, even if the drawing takes place days later. Log non-winning tickets promptly rather than storing stacks until the closing date.
• Account Name Consistency: The name on your player account must match your government-issued identification precisely. Discrepancies between nick-names, legal names, or outdated residential addresses can delay or forfeit prize disbursement during mandatory verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to keep my physical non-winning tickets after entering them online?

No, the Minnesota Lottery does not require you to present the original physical ticket to claim 2nd Chance prizes once registered to your account. However, keeping physical tickets in a secure location until drawing winners are officially confirmed protects you if an entry dispute occurs.

How much does it cost to enter a Minnesota Lottery 2nd Chance drawing?

Entry is free of charge beyond the original purchase price of the eligible scratch or draw game ticket. The Minnesota Lottery never charges registration fees, administrative dues, or handling payments to submit non-winning codes or collect promotional winnings.

Can out-of-state residents win Minnesota Lottery 2nd Chance drawings?

Yes, out-of-state residents can legally win 2nd Chance drawings provided the eligible ticket was purchased from an authorized Minnesota retailer and entered in accordance with official rules. Winners must still satisfy all federal and Minnesota state tax withholding requirements regardless of primary state residency.

What happens if a selected 2nd Chance winner does not claim their prize?

If a primary winner does not complete the claim procedure within the designated deadline (typically 30 days from notification), the prize is forfeited. The lottery then verifies and awards the prize to the first eligible alternate drawn during the original certified drawing.

How are winners selected in Minnesota 2nd Chance drawings?

Winners are selected using an audited, certified Random Number Generator (RNG) managed by the Minnesota Lottery under independent compliance oversight. Every verified entry logged into the promotion database receives an equal statistical probability of selection.

Ensure your player profile on the official Minnesota Lottery portal contains your current legal name and residential address, scan eligible non-winning tickets promptly, and track drawing deadlines carefully to maximize your promotional opportunities.