Walmart introduced a lottery system for Pokemon TCG drops, and fans now need luck just to buy cards at retail.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game shortage spiraled so far out of control that Walmart began treating booster packs like concert tickets. Scalpers stripped shelves bare within seconds of restocks for two years. After Target abandoned its seal-cutting tactic last month, retailers scrambled for a fix, and it became clear something had to give.
On August 31, Walmart debuted its Collectibles Drawing system for Pokemon products, starting with a Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box priced at $69.99.
On that same day, fans entered a free drawing during a set window and hoped for the best instead of racing bots through a broken checkout process. If selected, Walmart automatically charged the saved payment method and shipped the item. If not, buyers just walked away with nothing but the memory of another missed drop.
The retailer already teased Ascended Heroes products in future drawings, so it looks like this is not a one-off experiment. Entries cannot be canceled once submitted, and items purchased through the drawing aren’t returnable.
If you’re not caught up, the Pokemon TCG shortage raged since Surging Sparks emptied shelves in November 2024, and The Pokemon Company admitted it printed at absolute maximum capacity.
In fact, the company churned out 10 billion cards between March 2025 and March 2026, yet demand still outpaced every press run. A new factory is not expected online until late 2028, which meant fans could be living this lottery life for years.
Japanese retailers had relied on similar systems for ages, but seeing a major American chain surrender to the chaos signaled just how dire the shortage had become.
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