The Texas Lottery has started a new veteran-benefiting scratch-off game, where ticket sale proceeds will go to veteran causes.
The specialized "20X" scratch-off ticket, which became available for purchase on Monday, Sept. 18, features bold red text that states "Supporting Texas Veterans."
Each ticket will be priced at $2 and offer lottery players a chance to win $2, $5, $10, $20, $40, $50, $100, $1,000 or the $30,000 top prize.
The overall odds of winning any prize in a 20X scratch-off are 1 in 4.95, according to the Texas Lottery.
Lottery boards throughout the country offer scratch-off games, which have potential prizes hidden under concealed spots. Players get to choose which spots they want to reveal. Some choices can yield an in-store cash payout or a larger prize. (iStock / iStock)
The 20X scratch-off – also known as Game No. 2523 – is one of three games the Texas Lottery is distributing to support veterans.
Proceeds from the ticket sales are going to the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance (FVA), a state government agency that awards reimbursement grants to eligible charities, local government agencies and veterans service organizations that provide direct help to Texas veterans and their families.
The Texas Lottery’s first veteran-benefiting scratch-off ticket was started in 2009, and the lottery board has since launched several scratch-offs like it.
"During the 81st Legislative Session, Rep. Chris Turner and former Sen. Leticia Van de Putte authored legislation requiring the Texas Lottery to create scratch ticket games to benefit the FVA. The bill was passed by the legislature and signed into law by then-Gov. Rick Perry on June 19, 2009," Texas Lottery officials wrote in a press release.
More than $219 million has been donated to veteran programs, according to the Texas Lottery.
The lottery board also donates proceeds of ticket sales to funds that benefit public education.
Lottery players who are interested in the Texas Lottery’s veteran-specific 20X scratch-off should keep in that the lottery board is only printing five $30,000 top prize tickets and 15 $1,000 second prize tickets.
Every other subordinate prize amount has higher quantities as the value descends. For example, the Texas Lottery is printing 566,896 $5 prize tickets and 921,218 $2 prize tickets.
In total, the Texas Lottery is offering over $11.5 million in scratch-off prizes for the 20X game.
The 20X veteran-benefiting scratch-off joins the Texas Lottery’s two other veteran-benefiting games – 10X The Money (Game No. 2414), which was started in June, and Break The Bank (Game No. 2503), which was started in March.