For avid Instant Scratch-Its aficionados keen to know where the major prizes have landed during the past 12 months, the top prize postcodes have been revealed ahead of Father’s Day.
Between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, there were 176 Instant Scratch-Its top prize winners across Australia (excluding WA) who collectively took home more than $14.17 million in prize money.
During this same time, Instant Scratch-Its players enjoyed more than 31.2 million wins across all prize tiers worth more than $274.31 million. This equates to more than $750,000 won on Instant Scratch-Its every day.
Australia’s official lotteries, The Lott, has crunched the data and can exclusively reveal the postcodes and states where the top prize wins occurred in FY21 across Australia (excluding WA). The research comes ahead of Father’s Day – one of the most popular times of the year for gifting Instant Scratch-Its tickets.
The latest data found Queensland took out the top spot for the most big wins last financial year, with 72 top prizes totalling more than $6.6 million in prize money (Table 1).
Meanwhile, New South Wales claimed 41 top prizes wins totalling more than $3.3 million, while Victorian players enjoyed 38 top prize wins collectively worth more than $2.8 million.
Table 1: The number and value of Instant Scratch-Its top prizes by state during FY21
| State / Territory | Number of top prizes won | Total value of top prizes |
| Queensland | 72 | $6,647,147.00 |
| New South Wales | 41 | $3,381,105.00 |
| Victoria | 38 | $2,868,042.00 |
| Tasmania | 12 | $701,063.00 |
| South Australia | 9 | $338,021.00 |
| ACT | 3 | $210,000.00 |
| Northern Territory | 1 | $25,000.00 |
| Total | 176 | $14,170,378.00 |
The latest research also reveals the top prize postcodes for the past twelve months – the suburbs in each state that sold more than one top prize winning Instant Scratch-Its (Table 2).
In Queensland, it was the suburbs of Gladstone/Tannum Sands/Calliope (4680) that were crowned the hottest spot for Instant Scratch-Its top prize wins with five amounting to $385,000.
In New South Wales, it was the suburbs of Baulkham Hills (2153) and Edgeworth (2285) that topped the podium with two top prizes each. Baulkham Hills’ top prizes were collectively worth $225,000, while Edgeworth’s top prizes came to $160,000.
In Victoria, Newcomb/Breakwater (3219), Tullamarine (3043) and Kennington (3550) each sold two top prizes. Newcomb/Breakwater’s top prizes came to $50,000, Tullamarine’s amounted to $35,000, while Kennington’s prizes were worth $18,000.
Meanwhile in Tasmania, Huonville (7109) sold two top prize prizes worth $4,042. Finally, Adelaide (5000) in South Australia also sold two top prizes totalling $12,021.
Sunshine News in the Queensland suburb of Mount Gravatt was the only outlet to sell three top prizes during the financial year, while seven outlets sold two prizes. These outlets included, newsXpress Kin Kora, Gladstone (Qld), SG Bakery Café, Caboolture (Qld), Dysart News & Post, Dysart (Qld), Edgeworth Newsagency, Edgeworth (NSW), Huon Lotto, Huonville (Tas), Tullamarine Authorised Newsagency, Tullamarine (Vic) and Strath Lotteries, Kennington (Vic).
Table 2: The postcodes where multiple top-prize winning Instant Scratch-Its were sold during FY21
| State / Territory | Postcode | Suburb | Number of top prizes | Total of top prizes |
| Queensland | 4680 | Gladstone/Tannum Sands/ Calliope | 5 | $385,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4122 | Mount Gravatt | 3 | $610,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4558 | Maroochydore | 2 | $350,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4510 | Caboolture | 2 | $270,000.00 |
| New South Wales | 2153 | Baulkham Hills | 2 | $225,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4109 | Sunnybank Hills | 2 | $200,000.00 |
| New South Wales | 2285 | Edgeworth | 2 | $160,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4170 | Cannon Hill | 2 | $160,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4745 | Dysart | 2 | $108,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4350 | Westbrook/Toowoomba | 2 | $102,021.00 |
| Queensland | 4301 | Redbank/Redbank Plains | 2 | $50,000.00 |
| Victoria | 3219 | Newcomb/Breakwater | 2 | $50,00.000 |
| Victoria | 3043 | Tullamarine | 2 | $35,000.00 |
| Victoria | 3550 | Kennington | 2 | $18,000.00 |
| South Australia | 5000 | Adelaide | 2 | $12,021.00 |
| Tasmania | 7109 | Huonville | 2 | $4,042.00 |
The biggest individual Instant Scratch-Its prize won in Australia during the past 12 months was worth $520,000 (Table 3). There were four of these prizes won during FY21 sold at Dundas Newsagency, Dundas (NSW), Blackbutt Hotel, New Lambton (NSW), Fulham Road Newsagency, Gulliver (Qld) and Manor Lakes News & Lotto, Wyndham Vale (Vic).
Table 3: Biggest individual Instant Scratch-Its top prizes won in each state and territory during FY21
| State | Postcode where the prize was won | Biggest individual top prize won |
| New South Wales | 2117 (Dundas) | $520,000.00 |
| New South Wales | 2305 (New Lambton) | $520,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4812 (Gulliver) | $520,000.00 |
| Victoria | 3024 (Wyndham Vale) | $520,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4551 (Golden Beach) | $500,000.00 |
| Queensland | 4670 (Bundaberg) | $500,000.00 |
| Victoria | 3630 (Shepparton) | $500,000.00 |
While Instant Scratch-Its top prizes can land anywhere, at any time, The Lott spokesperson Ally Ramsamy said groups of wins emerged from time to time.
“Last year was an especially tough year, so the winning news was particularly welcomed by our winners.
“While Instant Scratch-Its top prize winners often have big plans for their prizes, like overseas travel and celebrating by going to fine dining restaurants, in more recent times, our winners’ dreams have been a little different to the norm.
“We spoke to a group of four workmates from Flemington in Victoria who won $10,000 and were eager to celebrate together after being apart for months because of lockdown.
“Meanwhile, in Queensland, a Laidley woman who won a $200,000 top prize couldn’t wait to use her spare time to go back and study something she’s passionate about.
“A Victorian couple from St Albans could only think of paying their prize forward after they won $25,000, with plans to anonymously distribute vouchers in their neighbours’ mailboxes and pay for random people’s meals.
“A hardworking nurse from Randwick in New South Wales said her prize of $1,000 a week for 10 years took the pressure off and would allow her to take a break from work.
“Finally, a Pakenham woman admitted whenever she’s feeling down about COVID-19, she treats herself to a ticket, and one time, she scored a $50,000 win.
“While many winners purchased their tickets for themselves, we did speak to many other winners who received them as gifts on special occasions, like Father’s Day.
“Imagine how exciting it would be to unwrap a top prize on your special day, or to buy your dad a gift that keeps on giving!
“It would be a sure way to become Dad’s instant favourite!”
Ms Ramsamy said only time would tell where the next Instant Scratch-Its top prize would land.
“While we saw pockets of wins in some states, regions and postcodes last financial year, it’s important to remember that a win can land anywhere,” she shared.
“Some players tell us they gravitate towards outlets that have recently sold a top prize in hopes they’ll deliver a win again, while others steer clear of those outlets thinking lightning doesn’t strike twice.
“Regardless of where or how they buy their Instant Scratch-Its ticket, every time a player starts scratching, they experience the thrill of wondering if they’re holding a top prize winner.”
The home of Australia’s Official Lotteries, The Lott operates and markets Australia’s leading lottery games customers know and love creating everyday winners, winning every day.
