On the back of all scratch tickets, there is the line that states “Numbers in the area marked “CNTL. NO.” cannot be used to win a prize.”  What does this mean?

The “CNTL. NO” (control number) is a four-digit number concealed under the latex in one of the Play Areas on the front of the ticket.  One of the ways a retailer can check to see if a ticket is a winner is to scan the barcode on the back of the ticket and manually enter the Control Number. 

Until a ticket is scratched, the retailer cannot complete the validation to determine whether a ticket has won a prize. Because the control number is related to the validation, these numbers are not part of the game and can’t be used to win a prize.