New York LotteryScratch-OffsOverall Odds

The top remaining scratch off prizes, ranked from largest to smallest top prize, are as follows. For a complete list of remaining prizes for all games, visit our New York Lottery Remaining Prizes page.

Overall Odds refer to the statistical chance of winning any prize on a scratch-off ticket. That includes breakeven prizes and all the way up to top prizes. If the Overall Odds of winning are 1 in 3.9, that does not mean that if you purchased four tickets that one will be a guaranteed winner. The Overall Odds are the odds of winning any prize, on average, over the life of the game.

The Overall Odds can be found on the back of your scratch off ticket. However, lottery players also check the REAL Odds™️, a LottoEdge exclusive, which is similar to Overall Odds. With REAL Odds™️, all breakeven prizes are removed to show the real odds of winning prizes greater than the cost of the ticket.

It’s important to remember the lottery is a game of chance and winning takes a combination of planning and luck. Playing with a strategy can improve your chances of bringing home a prize. We recommend players:

1. Define a Prize Goal – Don’t be a player that wants to “win anything”. Have a prize in mind but remember the smaller your prize goal, the better the odds.
2. Set a Budget – Limit your spending with a clear budget in mind. Having a budget will determine the ticket price you can play plus how many tickets you are able to buy.
3. Pick Games with the Best Prize Odds – Focus on playing games that have the prizes you WANT to win and have the best odds of hitting them.

Players ask us this question often and they usually are asking which game has the best Overall Odds. However, they don’t realize prize level data is available and that prize odds can vary greatly between games. The “BEST” game to play is going to vary player to player based on their goals and budget.

Each player has a different prize they would love to win as well as a specific budget. Smart players target smaller prizes as the odds will be much better than always trying to hit a grand prize.

Players sometimes differ on what they really mean when they ask which scratch off wins the most. Let’s breakdown two common interpretations:

Overall Odds – Games with the best overall odds will have more “wins”; however, these games are packed with small, breakeven prizes or free tickets. Players may see more wins, but often they will just be winning the price of the ticket back.

Prize Payout – A higher Prize Payout indicates a larger percentage of ticket sales are returned to players as prizes. Generally, higher-priced tickets offer larger prize payouts compared to lower-priced ones.

PRO TIP – Players should target the prizes they truly desire and utilize all available information to play strategically. By understanding when the odds of winning have significantly improved or by estimating past ticket sales, players can time their purchases more effectively.

In New York, scratch off prizes must be claimed within 1 year of the announced end of the game. The specific end date can be found on the New York Lottery’s website.

Up to $599 – Prizes under $600 (up to $599) can be claimed at any authorized New York Lottery retailer, Customer Service Center, Prize Claim Center or by mail.

$600 and Up – Prizes of $600 and greater can be claimed at any New York Lottery Customer Service Center, Prize Claim Center or by mail.

Unfortunately the NY Lottery doesn’t currently publish start dates for its scratch games.

We always respond to this question with a question – “Best odds to win what?”

The best odds to win vary based on what your playing goals. What kinds of prizes are you playing to win? Each lottery game, with both scratch and draw games, is designed with varying prize odds giving some games better odds to hit certain prizes.

We recognize that each player has their own goals and style of play. That’s why we analyze every prize in every scratch game, and provide over 20 scratch game rankings, plus price filters, to help you know which game has the best odds for your prize goals. Additionally, we provide draw game prize odds for all your favorite NY Lottery games.

The number of scratch tickets on a roll will vary depending on the game’s ticket price. A roll might contain anywhere from 20 to 300 tickets, with the total cost of the roll between $300 to $600.

For the most up-to-date information, consult your local NY Lottery retailer.