Walmart Just Changed the Pokemon Drop Game With a New Lottery System
Walmart is testing a very different way to sell high-demand Pokemon products — and it could be a meaningful change for collectors tired of bots, instant sellouts, and checkout races.
The retailer has introduced a new Collectibles Drawing system that allows shoppers to enter during a limited window rather than racing to complete checkout the second inventory goes live.
If you're selected, Walmart automatically places the order using the payment and shipping information provided when you entered. Drawing results are typically announced within 24 hours after the entry period closes, although Walmart says it can take up to 72 hours in some cases.
The first Pokemon product featured through the system was the Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions Pokemon Center Elite Trainer Box, offered for $69. The drawing closed on August 31.
Why This Matters for Collectors
Traditional online Pokemon drops often reward whoever can refresh, add to cart, and complete checkout the fastest.
A lottery changes that.
Instead of needing to win a checkout race, collectors can enter during a predetermined window and wait to see whether they're selected. It doesn't guarantee everyone a product, but it could help level the playing field for buyers who aren't using automated tools or sitting at their computer waiting for a drop.
It could also make it harder for the fastest buyers to immediately clear available inventory.
The bigger question is whether Walmart expands the system to additional high-demand Pokemon releases — and whether other retailers eventually follow.
If drawings become more common, it could represent a major change in how some of the hobby's most sought-after products reach collectors.
For now, we'll be watching to see what Walmart puts into the next drawing.
Would you rather enter a lottery for major Pokemon releases, or keep drops first come, first served?
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