Since their launch in February 1995,
Scratchcards have captured the hearts of countless lottery fans. Games such as Cash and Schatztruhe are particularly popular because players can immediately see whether they have won after scratching their ticket. However, Scratchcard prizes above a certain amount must be validated before they can be paid out. In the past, codes such as “HDHD” were printed on the tickets to help retailers verify prizes. Read on to find out what the code HDHD actually meant and how prize validation works today.
Is There a Scratchcard Prize Check?
Unlike Lotto “6 aus 45” or EuroMillions, Scratchcards do not require a prize check because games such as Viel Glück or the Scratchcard Advent Calendar are instant-win lottery games. This means that as soon as you scratch the ticket, you can immediately see whether you have won a prize.
What does exist, however, is prize validation. Amounts of €100 or more are considered high-tier prizes and must be validated, or confirmed, before they can be paid out. This is where codes such as “HDHD” came into play until 2017. They allowed retailer staff to quickly determine whether a prize needed to be validated first or could be paid out immediately.
Retailer Codes: What Did HDHD & Co Mean?
Until 2017, Scratchcards featured a code known as a retailer code, which was printed beneath the scratch-off layer. This code helped retailers quickly identify and pay out prizes of up to €100.
Interestingly, a myth developed around the code “HDHD”. Many players believed that any ticket carrying this code was automatically a losing ticket. In reality, “HDHD” indicated either a non-winning ticket or a prize of €100 or more.
To avoid misunderstandings and preserve the enjoyment of the game, retailer codes have no longer been used since Scratchcard Series 325.
Which Retailer Codes Were Used?
HDHD is probably the best-known retailer code, as many players still wonder what these letters actually stood for. Four other codes were also used, and their meanings were easy to recognise at first glance:
€2 = ZWEI
€4 = VIER
€6 = SECHS
€30 = DRSG
Over €100 and non-winning tickets = HDHD
As you can see, codes such as “SEHS” or “DRSG” simply represented prizes of six or thirty euros. But what about the infamous letters “HDHD”?
The answer is: nothing at all.
In fact, it was not an abbreviation or acronym of any kind. It was simply a randomly assigned code.
How Long Are Scratchcards Valid?
Do you still have a ticket marked “HDHD” tucked away in a drawer? Unfortunately, whether it was a losing ticket or a winning one will probably remain a mystery.
Every Scratchcard has a specified final claim date, which falls three years after the release date of the respective series. This date is printed on the ticket itself. Any prize must be claimed by that deadline. If the final claim date is missed, all entitlement to the prize expires.
As the last series featuring the “HDHD” code were released in 2017, these tickets are no longer valid today.
You can find full details in the Scratchcard Terms and Conditions.
How Does Prize Validation Work?
Once retailer codes were discontinued in 2017, a new method of prize verification was required. Today, prize validation is carried out entirely via the barcodes printed on the tickets.
Wondering how you can find out whether your Scratchcard has won? Here is how the process works:
Bring your winning ticket to an Austrian Lotteries retailer.
The retailer staff will scan the barcode on your ticket and validate your prize online.
Prizes of up to €1,000 are paid out immediately at the retailer location.
As responsible handling of money is very important to us, prizes above €1,000 are subject to a separate payout process. Higher amounts require additional security measures to ensure that prizes are always paid to the rightful winner.
Scratchcards on win2day.at
Although Scratchcards have traditionally been scratched on paper using a coin or a similar object, you can now experience the same excitement online.
Scratchcards on win2day.at are just as entertaining as their paper counterparts, and the game mechanics are even simpler because there is no need to take your ticket to a retailer.
After logging in to win2day, the result is displayed instantly online as soon as you play one of the available Scratchcards. This means you'll know immediately whether you've won. Cash prizes are automatically credited to your account balance.
How Are Prizes Paid Out?
Claiming Scratchcard prizes is almost as easy as scratching the ticket itself. Our retailer staff can pay out prizes of up to €1,000 per ticket directly at retailer locations.
The most important requirement is that the barcode on the ticket remains intact and legible. This barcode is the key to prize validation and enables a quick and straightforward payout process.
Prizes Above €1,000
Have you scratched a ticket revealing a prize between €1,000.10 and €80,000?
If so, congratulations!
To ensure a secure payout, please contact one of our major prize payout centres. As with all prize claims, the barcode on the ticket must be intact and readable.
Prizes Above €80,000
We like to meet the biggest Scratchcard winners in person.
High-tier prizes of more than €80,000 are processed through our Customer Service Centre in Vienna. The payout is made according to the arrangements specified by the winner.
Scratchcards: Excitement and Clear Rules
Bee Lucky, WinterCash and Extra Cash offer not only instant excitement but also a clear and fair system for prize verification and payout.
Whether you win a small prize or a large one, the rules are transparent and allow you to focus entirely on enjoying the game.
Would you like to discover even more fascinating Scratchcard stories? No problem. We have plenty of interesting facts for you, including how Scratchcards are produced and how the Scratchcard Collector Pass promotion works.