SmartCount is the California Lottery's free scratcher (scratch-off ticket) count: staff scan each book (also called a pack) at the lottery terminal, print a report, and run End Day, which blocks scanned tickets from being cashed after close. Many store owners tell us it's hard to use, and it doesn't say which shift or cashier a missing book went missing on. You don't have to choose: keep SmartCount, and add Lotto Proof, the simplest scratcher count to set up and use, for shift accountability, same-day missing-book alerts, the owner's phone view, and one daily closeout. Lotto Proof works with any state lottery's scratch-offs.
What SmartCount does well
- It's free and built into the lottery terminal you already have.
- End Day blocks cashing after close. Scanned tickets can't be cashed until the store reopens, which helps against overnight break-ins.
- It replaces the paper ticket-number sheet.
Where store owners struggle with it
- It's hard to use, many owners tell us. Every count happens at the lottery terminal, one pack at a time, which ties up the terminal while you count.
- The printed report is checked by hand against sales, payouts, activations, and returns.
- A pack skipped during the scan doesn't show as missing, and packs activated but never put on display aren't caught.
- No shift or cashier accountability. When the numbers are off, nothing says which shift it happened on.
SmartCount, Lotto Proof, or both
| Question | SmartCount | Lotto Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $39.99/month per store, scanner included, 30-day free trial |
| Where you count | At the lottery terminal | Anywhere at the rack, with a dedicated handheld (built-in Honeywell scan engine) |
| Ease of use | Hard to use, many owners tell us | The simplest: nothing to set up, pull the trigger on each book, about 2 minutes for 64 books |
| Which shift and cashier | No | Every scan saved with the time and cashier |
| Book skipped or gone | Not shown as missing | Flagged against the shift, owner emailed the same day |
| Activated but never displayed | Not caught | Listed from the lottery's activation reports |
| Cashing blocked after close | Yes, with End Day | No; missing books are flagged at the next scan instead |
| Owner away from the store | Not listed | Every shift and every store on the phone, plus a daily email |
| Daily closeout | A printed report, checked by hand | Drawer, lottery terminal, vending machine, and register balanced into one short/over |
| Returns, activations, shipments | Not listed | Pulled from the lottery's own reports every day |
SmartCount has no public product page; its column comes from LottoReco's published SmartCount guide and what store owners tell us, checked October 2026. “Not listed” means we couldn't find it, not that SmartCount lacks it.
A day with both
- Every shift change: the cashier scans the rack with the Lotto Proof scanner, 1 to 3 minutes. The shift's sales and any missing book go to the owner.
- At close: run SmartCount and End Day on the lottery terminal as you do today, so scanned tickets can't be cashed overnight.
- After close: the Lotto Proof closeout balances the drawer, the terminal's draw sales and payouts, the vending machine, and the register into one number.
Frequently asked questions
What is SmartCount?
SmartCount is the California Lottery's free scratcher inventory count. Store staff scan or key in each scratch-off pack (book) at the lottery terminal, print an inventory and ticket-balance report, and run End Day, after which scanned tickets can't be cashed until the store reopens.
Is SmartCount hard to use?
Many store owners tell us it is. Counts happen at the lottery terminal, one pack at a time, which ties up the terminal while you count, and the printed report still has to be checked against sales and payouts by hand. Lotto Proof is one handheld with nothing to set up: pull the trigger on each book, about 2 minutes for a 64-book rack, and the scanner shows what's next.
Do I have to stop using SmartCount to use Lotto Proof?
No. Keep SmartCount for its End Day block on cashing after close, which Lotto Proof doesn't do. Add Lotto Proof for what SmartCount doesn't do: tie every count to a shift and cashier, flag a missing book the same day, show the owner every shift on their phone, and balance the day in one closeout.
What doesn't SmartCount catch?
A pack skipped during the scan doesn't show as missing, packs activated but never put on display aren't caught, and there's no cashier or shift accountability. The printed report also doesn't balance payouts or the register on its own. Lotto Proof scans the whole rack at every shift change, so a book that disappears is flagged against the shift it went missing on.
Does Lotto Proof only work in California?
No. Lotto Proof works with scratch-off tickets from any state lottery. SmartCount is California's tool, so this page is about California stores, but Lotto Proof isn't limited to them.
How much does Lotto Proof cost next to a free tool?
$39.99 a month per store with the handheld scanner included, a 30-day free trial, and no contract. One missing book usually costs a store more than that, and SmartCount stays free alongside it.
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$0 today, then $39.99/month per location, scanner included. No contract, cancel anytime.