Many Texans have missed opportunities with second-chance wins. According to a KENS 5, lottery players who come up empty-handed initially may have another shot at cashing in, a fact seemingly unknown to a significant number of them.

In Texas, losers can turn winners if they simply flip their dud scratch-offs and enter a code into the Texas Lottery's The Luck Zone portal – an initiative that Ryan Mindell, a spokesperson for the Texas Lottery, says offers a silver lining. "If a player plays one of those tickets and they have a non-winning ticket, (meaning) they don't win a cash prize on the scratch ticket, then they can go again to the website or to the mobile app," Mindell explained in a statement obtained by KENS 5. Some players, like Jeff Baumgaertner and his friend Michelle, have benefited from this persistence, having snagged enviable prizes on their second go-around.

The payoffs from this move can be significant. For Baumgaertner and others, the second chance translated into winning an all-expenses-paid trip to see country music star Luke Combs. This journey didn't just bring tunes, but also a whopping $13,000 worth of memories, all from a $10 scratcher. Rick Leal, among the lucky few, recalls the superb hospitality they received, saying the experience made them "treated us like royalty," according to the interview by KENS 5.

One rule of the game: each scratch-off ticket can only be used once for a Luck Zone drawing. After entering, players can toss the ticket to avoid confusion. And for the tenacious players, the chance to win isn't capped, as each new scratcher is a new opportunity to enter the draw. Rick Leal advises against trashing tickets, noting in a KENS 5 interview, "It's a free chance to win something else." 

The Texas Lottery invites aspirants to visit their website for full participation details and the chance at a second windfall.