To check your Melate Retro ticket, compare the 6 numbers you played — from 1 to 39 — against the 6 winning numbers of that draw; order doesn't matter, only how many match, and from 2 matches on you're already in the prize table. Contrary to what many players assume, Melate Retro does have an additional number, just like classic Melate, so check it separately since it can bump you into a better prize tier. Retro draws happen every Tuesday and Saturday. If you're looking for how to check a Melate Retro ticket without missing a prize, here's the full step-by-step, including the results template (mascarilla) and everything that's different from classic Melate.
How to check Melate Retro step by step
Checking a Melate Retro ticket follows a simple logic once you break it into steps:
- Find your 6 numbers and the draw date. Your Retro ticket shows the 6 numbers from 1 to 39 you played, along with the date of the draw — Tuesday or Saturday — they belong to.
- Look up the winning numbers for that specific draw. You can find them on MelateBot's results section or in the Melate Retro guide, organized by date.
- Count the matches, regardless of order. Mark how many of your 6 numbers are among the 6 winners. The order they were drawn in doesn't matter — only how many of your numbers match.
- Check the additional number separately. Retro draws an additional number, just like Melate. It doesn't count toward the 6-match jackpot, but it can bump you into a higher category if you matched 5, 4, 3, or 2 main numbers.
- Confirm with a digital tool if you want to avoid counting errors. MelateBot's ticket checker includes Melate Retro: enter your numbers and compare them against recent draws in seconds.
The Melate Retro results template (mascarilla)
The results template — known in Mexico as the mascarilla de resultados — is the traditional name for the overlay, originally printed on paper, placed over a ticket to spot matches at a glance without reading every number one by one. Authorized agents of Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública received these printed templates after each draw, with the winning numbers marked at the exact position on the ticket grid.
With Melate Retro the principle is identical to classic Melate, just on a smaller board: instead of covering 56 numbers, a Retro template works over a 1-to-39 range. Almost nobody uses a physical template anymore: most players compare directly against the published results online or use the digital checker, which does the template's job automatically. For the full background on where the term comes from and why it's still used, we cover that in Melate's results template.
The additional number in Melate Retro (and why it matters)
There's a common assumption that Melate Retro, being the "simpler" of the two games, skips the additional number. That's not the case: Retro does draw an additional number in every draw, from the same 1-to-39 range as the six main numbers. The difference from classic Melate is the size of the board, not the additional-number mechanic.
The additional number doesn't factor into the jackpot — that category depends solely on matching the 6 main numbers — but it can upgrade your prize category at the intermediate levels, much the way it works in Melate. That's why, when checking a Retro ticket, it's worth writing down the additional number alongside the 6 winning numbers and checking it on its own, not just glancing at it as an afterthought.
Matches and prize categories in Retro
Just like Melate, Retro pays out prizes across several categories: you don't need to match all 6 numbers to win something. From 2 matches on, you're already in the prize table, and categories climb as you match more numbers, up to 6 matches, which take the jackpot.
The additional number can lift you into a higher category when you matched 5, 4, 3, or 2 main numbers, in a way analogous to what we explain in Melate's prize categories by matches. Category amounts aren't fixed: they change draw to draw based on how much was sold and how many people share that category, so the same number of matches can pay a different amount from one date to the next.
Melate Retro vs. Melate: what changes when you check your ticket
The checking process itself is nearly identical between the two games: you compare your numbers against the winners regardless of order, and check the additional number separately. What changes is the board: Melate uses 6 numbers from 1 to 56, while Melate Retro uses 6 from 1 to 39, which makes Retro's jackpot — with odds of 1 in 3,262,623 — considerably more attainable than Melate's, at 1 in 32,468,436.
Another practical difference: the draws don't share a date. Melate draws Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; Melate Retro draws Tuesday and Saturday. If you play both, check each ticket against the results list for its own game and date — never cross-check Melate numbers against Retro results, or the reverse. One purely descriptive, non-predictive data point: across Melate Retro's history, the most frequent number has been 26, with 293 appearances, and the least frequent has been 5, with 219; the average sum of the six numbers is around 120. Every draw is independent, so these figures describe the past — they don't forecast next Tuesday or Saturday. We cover the rest of the differences, including jackpot size, in Melate vs Melate Retro, and if you want to check a classic Melate ticket first, the dedicated guide is how to check your Melate ticket.
Where to check the winning Melate Retro numbers
Melate Retro draws happen every Tuesday and Saturday. After each draw you can check the six winning numbers and the additional number in MelateBot's results section or in the Melate Retro guide, organized by draw date. You can also enter your combination directly into the ticket checker, which automatically compares it against recent Retro draws.
Melate Retro is part of the official lineup from Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública. MelateBot is an informational site and isn't affiliated with Pronósticos: we help you compare and understand your ticket, but the official source for prize payment and validation is always the institution itself.
Keep your ticket safe: it's your proof
Even if you confirm a prize online, you need the original physical ticket in good condition to claim it. A few practical habits:
- Store it somewhere dry and flat, away from heat or moisture that could fade the print.
- Avoid over-folding it or leaving it exposed to the elements; an illegible ticket complicates validation.
- Note the draw date and confirm it matches the results list you checked — remember Retro draws Tuesday and Saturday, not the same days as Melate.
- If you have a confirmed prize, don't let it sit forgotten: lottery prizes have a deadline to be claimed. Check the current deadline and procedure with Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública as soon as you confirm you won.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my Melate Retro ticket?
Compare your 6 numbers — from 1 to 39 — against the 6 winning numbers of the corresponding draw and check the additional number separately. Order doesn't matter: only how many of your numbers match the winners counts. You can do it by hand against the published results or use the ticket checker for an automatic match-up.
What is the Melate Retro results template?
It's the overlay — traditionally printed on paper — with the winning numbers marked, used to compare against your ticket at a glance. Today physical templates have largely been replaced by comparing online against published results or using the digital checker, which serves the same purpose.
Does Melate Retro have an additional number?
Yes. Even though Retro is perceived as a simpler game because it has fewer numbers in play (1 to 39 instead of 1 to 56), it also draws an additional number in every draw. It doesn't count toward the jackpot, but it can improve your category if you matched 5, 4, 3, or 2 main numbers.
Can I check a Melate Retro ticket online without signing up?
Yes. MelateBot's ticket checker is free and requires no account: you enter your 6 numbers and the system compares them against recent Retro draws. If you'd rather save your tickets so they're checked automatically draw after draw, that feature lives inside your MelateBot account.
How many matches do I need to start winning in Melate Retro?
From 2 matches on, you're already in the prize table, same as classic Melate. Categories climb as you match more numbers, and the additional number can improve your category at the intermediate levels.
To keep learning, check out the full Melate Retro guide, compare both games in depth in Melate vs Melate Retro, or review how to check your classic Melate ticket.
Whether you play Melate, Melate Retro, or both, generate your next combinations with MelateBot AI Picks and check updated results whenever you like.
This content is informational and for entertainment purposes. MelateBot is not affiliated with Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública. Melate Retro is a game of chance: no method predicts, guarantees, or improves your odds of matching the winning numbers. Every draw is independent. Play responsibly.