Most people treat a lottery ticket as disposable — check it, bin it, move on. A small group of collectors sees something else entirely: a small printed artefact worth keeping. That is lotology.
This guide explains what the hobby is, what collectors gather, why they do it, and how to start a collection of your own.
What the hobby is
Lotology is the practice of collecting and studying lottery tickets. The word joins “lottery” with the suffix “-logy” (“study of”), and the people who practise it are called lotologists.
It sits in the same family as more familiar collecting hobbies. Just as philatelists collect stamps and numismatists collect coins, lotologists collect lottery tickets — valuing them not for any prize, but for their design, rarity and place in history. A used, non-winning ticket can be just as collectable as any other, sometimes more so. The appeal is the object itself: the artwork, the printing, the era it comes from, and the small story it tells about how people played.
Related collecting hobbies
| Hobby | What is collected |
|---|---|
| Philately | Postage stamps |
| Numismatics | Coins and currency |
| Deltiology | Postcards |
| Lotology | Lottery tickets, especially scratch-offs |
Like its cousins, lotology values items for their design, rarity and history rather than their face value.
A short history
Lotteries have existed for centuries — early tickets were simple printed slips used to fund public works. But lotology as a hobby is much more recent, taking shape as state-run lotteries spread across Europe and the United States through the mid-20th century.
The turning point was the scratch-off ticket. The first secure instant scratch game was developed by Scientific Games and sold by the Massachusetts Lottery in 1974. Suddenly tickets were colourful, mass-produced and constantly changing — and collectors began saving them. Enthusiasts formed swap circles and clubs, and organisations such as the Global Lottery Collectors Society emerged as hubs for cataloguing and trading. Over time, what looked like an eccentric habit settled into a recognised, if niche, corner of the collecting world.
What lotologists collect
Scratch-offs are the heart of the hobby, and within the community tickets are broadly sorted into three types. Scratched (SC) tickets have already been played; they are the most commonly collected and traded, making up the large majority of what changes hands. Sample or void (SV) tickets are printed by lotteries for training or proofing and were never meant for sale. Mint (MT) tickets are ordinary tickets kept completely intact and unplayed, prized for their condition.
Beyond those categories, many collectors pick a lane — a particular theme (sport, holidays, artwork), a specific country or region, or a certain era. Some also gather number-draw tickets and charity or promotional issues alongside their scratch-offs.
Why people collect
The motivation is not the jackpot. It is much closer to why anyone keeps stamps or vinyl.
There is the design: scratch-off tickets have grown from plain printed cards into small pieces of graphic art, with foil, texture and themed series. There is the history: a run of old tickets quietly records changing prices, shifting regulations and the visual style of its time. And there is the culture: tickets capture local motifs, celebrations and trends. For collectors, a shoebox of old tickets is a scrapbook of social history as much as a stack of paper.
How to start a collection
The barrier to entry is refreshingly low — you can begin with tickets you already have lying around. The most useful first move is to choose a focus rather than hoarding everything, so your collection builds depth. From there it is a matter of storing tickets carefully, keeping simple records, and connecting with other collectors.
How to start collecting
- Pick a focus. Choose a theme, era or region — say, New Zealand Instant Kiwi designs — so your collection has depth rather than being a random pile.
- Preserve carefully. Store tickets flat, away from light and moisture, in sleeves or albums, the same way you would protect stamps or trading cards.
- Catalogue what you have. Record each ticket’s game, date, issuing region and condition. Good records are half the hobby.
- Connect with others. Collector societies, forums and swap groups are where you learn, trade and find rarer issues.
Collecting is about design and history, not the prize — so a used, non-winning ticket can be just as collectable.
Lotology in New Zealand
For a New Zealand collector, the obvious starting point is Instant Kiwi — the country’s scratch-card range, which offers exactly the kind of colourful, frequently refreshed designs that lotologists gravitate toward. Our Instant Kiwi guide covers the current games, and you can find scratch-card pricing on our Lotto ticket prices page.
There is also a bittersweet backdrop to the hobby: as more people play through digital channels, fewer physical tickets are printed at all. The steady move toward online play — described on our Lotto online page — means the paper ticket is slowly becoming a rarer object, which is precisely what makes collecting and preserving them feel worthwhile. If you are the sort to keep old tickets, it is worth remembering that any unclaimed prize still expires after 12 months, as covered in our guide on unclaimed lottery prizes.
A collector’s hobby, not a strategy
It is worth being clear about one thing: this is a collecting hobby, and it does not change anything about playing. Saving tickets, studying designs and tracking down rare issues has no bearing on the odds of any draw, and it is not a system for winning. If anything, it is the opposite mindset — valuing the ticket for what it is, rather than what it might pay out.
That said, acquiring tickets still means buying gambling products, so the usual good habits apply: collect within a set budget, and treat any play as entertainment rather than an investment.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information only. It does not encourage anyone to gamble, buy lottery tickets, or spend money on any product, and it is not financial, legal or professional advice. Lottery games are games of chance with a negative expected return, and collecting tickets does not improve anyone’s odds of winning. Games, designs and rules change — confirm current details with Lotto New Zealand at mylotto.co.nz.
You must be 18 or over to buy or claim lottery products in New Zealand. If gambling is causing harm to you or someone you know, free 24/7 support is available from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or by texting 8006, from Safer Gambling Aotearoa, and from PGF Services on 0800 664 262. Gambling in New Zealand is regulated by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Reference sources
- Global Lottery Collectors Society (GLCS) — collector community and guidelines
- Encyclopedia entry — Lotology (SC/SV/MT collection types)
- Wikipedia — Philately (comparison hobby)
- LotteryUSA — history of the scratch-off ticket (1974, Massachusetts)
- Lotto NZ (MyLotto) — Instant Kiwi and current games
- Safer Gambling Aotearoa
- Gambling Helpline New Zealand
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is lotology?
Lotology is the hobby of collecting and studying lottery tickets — especially scratch-offs — as objects of design, rarity and history rather than for their prizes. People who do it are called lotologists.
What do lotologists actually collect?
Mainly scratch-off tickets, sorted into scratched (used), sample or void (printed for training or proofing), and mint (unplayed) types. Many also collect by theme, country or era, and some gather number-draw tickets and charity or promotional issues.
Is lotology the same as gambling?
No. It is a collecting hobby focused on the tickets themselves. It has no effect on the odds of any draw and is not a strategy for winning — a used, non-winning ticket can be just as collectable as any other.
How do I start collecting lottery tickets?
Pick a focus (a theme, era or region), store tickets flat and away from light and moisture, keep simple records of each one, and connect with collector societies or swap groups to learn and trade.
Are old lottery tickets worth money?
Most are not worth much beyond sentimental or historical value, though genuinely rare or limited-print tickets can trade among enthusiasts. Lotologists generally collect for interest rather than profit.
