Scratch Ticket Odds Calculator

A Print Run With Known, Diminishing Odds

Unlike a drawn lottery, where the odds are fixed by the pool and pick size for the life of the game, a scratch-off ticket's odds are tied to a finite print run: a fixed number of tickets are printed, a fixed number carry winning combinations, and as tickets are sold and prizes are claimed, the remaining odds shift. This calculator computes the baseline odds for a given print run — the starting point most published scratch-game odds represent.

The Formula

The result is expressed as "1 in X," matching how scratch-game odds are conventionally published on ticket packaging and state lottery websites.

Where This Matters

• Comparing scratch games — different price points and games carry very different overall odds of winning any prize, and this makes that comparison concrete rather than relying on marketing copy on the ticket.
• Understanding why odds worsen over a game's life — if you know how many winning tickets a game started with and roughly how many have already been claimed (some lotteries publish this), the remaining odds are worse than the printed starting odds.
• Setting realistic expectations — "1 in 4" odds on the package usually refers to winning any prize, often including a break-even free ticket, not the odds of winning a meaningful cash amount.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter the total tickets printed for the game.
2. Enter the winning tickets available in that print run.
3. Select Calculate for the odds (as "1 in X") and probability per ticket.

Related Calculations

Curious about drawn-game odds instead? See the Lottery Odds Calculator, or check ticket value with the Lottery Expected Value Calculator.