Scratcher Payout records cash paid out to a customer for a winning scratcher (scratch-off / instant) ticket. The payout adds a negative line to the current sale, which either cashes out the winnings (the customer takes the money and leaves) or applies them against a product purchase. It's one of two payout types — the other is Lottery Payout, which covers draw games such as Powerball and Mega Millions.
Where to find it: Register → menu icon (☰, top-right) → Lottery/Scratcher Payout → Scratcher Payout
A Scratcher Payout is always part of an order. Even when the customer is just cashing out, the register records an order with a negative-only total, so reporting and cash reconciliation stay clean.
Before you start: turn on Lottery Payout
Scratcher Payout is off by default. The same setting controls Lottery and Scratcher payouts:
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From the POS home screen, tap Station Settings.
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Select Register Settings in the left menu. Under Payment Methods, tick Lottery Payout.
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Tap Save.
📝 Note. If Lottery/Scratcher Payout doesn't appear in the register menu, this setting is the most likely cause. Ask your manager if you don't have access to Station Settings.
Step 1 — Enter the payout amount
On the register keypad, enter the amount the customer has won — for example 1, 0, 0, 0 for $10.00. The amount fills from the right; DEL removes the last digit and C clears it.
⚠️ Important. Verify the ticket is a winner first. Enter the amount only after you've validated the win on the state lottery terminal. Once you complete the payout the cash leaves the drawer, and a scratcher payout can't be refunded.
Step 2 — Open the register menu
Tap the menu icon (☰) at the top-right of the register. The menu lists Quick Add Product, View Receipts, Vendor Payout, Drop Cash, Pay In, No Sale, Lottery/Scratcher Payout, Upload PAX log and Check ID. Tap Lottery/Scratcher Payout.
Step 3 — Choose Scratcher Payout
The register asks "Which payout would you like to record?" with two buttons:
|
Button |
When to use |
|---|---|
|
Lottery Payout |
Powerball, Mega Millions, Pick 3/4/5, daily and multi-state draw winnings |
|
Scratcher Payout |
Scratch-off / instant ticket winnings only |
Tap Scratcher Payout. A red 1 x Scratcher Payout −$10.00 line is added to the cart and the Pay button shows the amount to pay out — Pay (0 Items) ($10.00). The trash icon on the line removes it if you picked the wrong payout.
📝 Note. Pick the right one. Lottery and Scratcher payouts are reported separately, so you can reconcile against the state lottery commission's reports for each product type.
Step 4 — Add the customer (optional)
Use Search Customer above the cart to find the customer by phone number, name or email, or tap + to add a new one. Attaching a customer lets you email the receipt.
Step 5 — Cash out or apply to a purchase
This is where the flow forks. The negative line is now in the cart.
Path A — Customer cashes out (no purchase)
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Don't add any other items. Tap Pay.
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On the Payment Methods screen only Cash Payout (−$10.00) is available — the card, PIN debit and EBT tiles are greyed out for a payout-only order. The right-hand panel shows Total (−$10.00) and Remaining Balance (−$10.00).
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Tap Cash Payout. The cash drawer opens — hand the customer the cash.
Path B — Customer applies winnings to a purchase
The customer wants to use the win toward a purchase. Add the products to the cart as usual, with the payout line. Example:
|
Cart item |
Amount |
|---|---|
|
1 x Smok TFV18 Coils 0.33ohm mesh |
$7.99 |
|
1 x Smok TFV18 Coils 0.33ohm mesh |
$7.99 |
|
1 x Scratcher Payout |
−$10.00 |
|
Subtotal |
$15.98 |
|
Tax (9.5%) |
$1.52 |
|
Total (2 items) |
$7.50 |
The customer's $10 scratcher win covered $10 of the $15.98 plus tax, so they owe $7.50 to take both coils home.
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Tap Pay. The Payment Methods screen shows the remaining balance ($7.50).
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The customer pays the remainder with any tender — Cash, Card, PIN Debit, EBT, Gift Card, Store Credit or Loyalty Points.
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Complete the sale as normal.
Path C — Winnings exceed the purchase
The customer has a $20 scratcher and buys a $7.99 coil. The total goes negative — about −$12.01 after tax — so the customer takes the coil and $12.01 in cash. The register treats the negative as cash owed back to the customer and handles it as a single transaction.
💡 Tip. Each tender tile has an Other Amount strip. When products are in the cart, use it to split the remaining balance across tenders — for example part cash, part store credit.
Step 6 — Receipt
After the payout completes, a Change Due message shows the amount paid out (for example Change Due $10.00) and asks "How would you like your receipt?":
|
Option |
What it does |
|---|---|
|
No Receipt |
Closes the order without printing or emailing |
|
Print Receipt |
Prints a receipt showing the payout and the tender used |
|
Email Receipt |
Emails the receipt to the customer's address on file (a customer must be attached) |
Tap Done to return to the register.
📝 Note. Payout-only orders don't print a receipt automatically. The order is logged under View Receipts, but the till slip is skipped unless you choose Print Receipt.
Where it shows in reports
Scratcher payouts are tracked separately from product sales and from Lottery payouts. In the web backend, open Reporting → Sales → Overall Sales Summary:
The Register Payouts section lists Cash Back, Lottery, Lottery Non-Scratcher and Vendor Payout, plus Total Payouts. Scratcher payouts appear under Lottery Non-Scratcher; Lottery payouts (draw games) appear under Lottery. The Cash Reconciliation block below shows Cash Collected − Total Payouts = Remaining Cash.
In the Location Report, the same amounts appear under Payment Methods as Lottery Non-Scratchers (scratcher payouts) and Lottery (lottery payouts).
|
Where |
What appears |
|---|---|
|
View Receipts / Orders |
The order shows the products purchased (if any) and the payout line with the negative value |
|
Overall Sales Summary |
Register Payouts → Lottery Non-Scratcher: amount and number of transactions; counted in Total Payouts and the Cash Reconciliation |
|
Location Report |
Payment Methods → Lottery Non-Scratchers, separate from Cash Back |
|
Expected Cash for the shift |
Cash paid out is subtracted from Expected Cash, so the drawer is short by the cash-out portion at Close Shift — expected, not a variance |
|
Receipt |
The payout shows as a negative line (Scratcher Payout −$10.00) |
⚠️ Important. Mind the report labels: scratcher payouts are reported under Lottery Non-Scratcher(s), and draw-game (Lottery Payout) amounts under Lottery. Keep the two separate when you reconcile against the state lottery commission's reports.
Permissions
|
Permission |
Category |
What it allows |
|---|---|---|
|
Vendor Payout |
POS — Register |
Required to access any payout flow, including Lottery/Scratcher |
|
Cash Payment |
POS — Register |
Required to issue cash payouts |
Also gated in the web backend under Employees → Permissions → Lottery Permissions. Without the permission, the option doesn't appear in the register menu.
⚠️ Important. This is a high-trust action — cash leaves the drawer on the strength of the cashier validating a winning ticket, and state lottery commissions hold the merchant accountable for incorrectly paid winnings. Limit the permission to managers and trusted senior staff, and train them to validate every ticket on the state terminal before entering the payout.
Common questions
Why does the payout show as a negative line in the cart instead of just opening the drawer?
The register handles two scenarios — cash-out only and applied-to-purchase — with the same flow. If the cart has only the negative line, it's a pure cash-out; if there are products too, the negative reduces the customer's bill. One flow keeps reporting consistent and prevents double-counting.
The customer wants to use a $20 win toward a $50 purchase. Does it work?
Yes. Add the $50 product, then run a $20 payout. The cart shows product $50, payout −$20, total $30 plus tax, payable with any tender.
The customer has a $50 win and buys a $7.99 item.
Same flow. Add the $7.99 product, run a $50 payout. The total goes negative, the register treats it as cash owed back, and the customer takes the item plus about $42 in cash from the drawer.
Why are the card tiles greyed out when I do a scratcher payout?
That's correct for a payout-only order with a negative total — the only way to pay out is Cash Payout. Once products are in the cart and the total is positive, the other tenders become available for the balance.
The purchase was paid entirely with scratcher winnings (zero balance). What happens?
The order completes with $0 due — no tender prompt and no drawer kick. The negative payout line covered the products exactly.
Can I refund a scratcher payout?
No. Lottery and scratcher payouts can't be refunded, which is why the ticket must be validated before you enter the amount.
Can I use Scratcher Payout for vendor returns or cash refunds?
No. Scratcher Payout is only for state-lottery winnings. Vendor returns go through Vendor Payout (or Pay In if cash is being received); customer refunds go through the normal order refund flow.
I'm seeing lottery payouts I never made.
Check that the Lottery Payout box in Station Settings → Register Settings is set the way you intend (off if you don't sell lottery), refresh the POS, and if it persists contact support with your store name and the date the entries started.
I see "Cashback" in my Location Report instead of a scratcher payout.
An earlier version grouped lottery payouts under Cashback in some reports. That's fixed — current reports separate Cash Back from Lottery and Lottery Non-Scratchers.
📝 Note. Scratcher Payout amounts always show as a negative value on the receipt (for example −$25.00). When a Scratcher Payout is the only line on the order, the order summary shows "Scratcher Payout" as the line name — no product name appears because nothing was sold. Scratcher payout entries appear in your closing report under payouts; if you see entries you did not make, contact support.
Related
See Pay out lottery winnings, Pay a vendor from the drawer, and View expected cash during a shift.