Word Games is a $3 scratch-off lottery ticket from the Iowa Lottery. It has overall odds of 1 in 3.81, meaning roughly 1 in every 4 tickets wins a prize. The expected value is $0.62 per $1 spent, which is a below-average return compared to other scratch-offs. The top prize is $30,000. About half the prizes remain (47% remaining). ScratchCheck rates this ticket 34/100 (Below Avg) based on expected value, prize quality, win frequency, and inventory health.
Overall Odds
1 in 3.81
Exp. Value
$0.62
per $1 spent
Top Prize
$30,000
Top Prizes Left
3
Prizes Remaining
47%
ValueScore™
34 / 100
Below Avg
Should I Buy This Ticket?
Expected value per $1 spent:
$0.62↓
BELOW AVERAGE
Weaker overall value. There are likely better options at this price.
Why
↓A leaner 26% chance of winning per ticket (1 in 3.81), below most games.
- Expected value of $0.62 per $1 is below average. Less comes back per dollar than most games.
- A reasonable chunk of the top and mid-tier prizes are still available, though not the majority.
Prize Breakdown
| Prize | Odds | Total | Left | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | 1 in 120,288 | 8 | 3 | 38% |
| $700 | 1 in 19,639 | 49 | 21 | 43% |
| $350 | 1 in 5,797 | 166 | 75 | 45% |
| $100 | 1 in 4,060 | 237 | 117 | 49% |
| $70 | 1 in 1,492 | 645 | 301 | 47% |
| $35 | 1 in 598 | - | Not reported | - |
| $20 | 1 in 100 | - | Not reported | - |
| $10 | 1 in 100 | - | Not reported | - |
| $9 | 1 in 50 | - | Not reported | - |
| $6 | 1 in 20 | - | Not reported | - |
| $5 | 1 in 20 | - | Not reported | - |
| $3 | 1 in 8 | - | Not reported | - |
“Not reported” = the lottery publishes remaining-prize counts for its top prizes only.
ValueScore™ Breakdown
34
VALUESCORE
Below Avg
34
out of 100
Expected Value
Prize Quality
Win Frequency
Inventory Health
Updated: 7/19/2026
Game Details
- State
- Iowa
- Game Number
- 739
- Ticket Price
- $3
- Start Date
- 1/3/2025
- Payout %
- 62.2%
- Data Source
- Official
- Last Updated
- 7/19/2026
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Image Credit: Iowa Lottery
$3.00 per ticket · 1 in 3.81 overall odds
✓ Accounts for prizes already claimed
Entertainment only. Outcomes are random and won't match a real session. Current-odds mode scales each tier by remaining prizes and tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Word Games scratch-off a good buy?
Word Games scores 34/100 on ValueScore, which is below average. The expected value, prize pool, or inventory health is weaker than most other tickets at this price. There are likely better options in Iowa at the $3 price point.
How much does Word Games cost?
Word Games costs $3 per ticket in Iowa. All ScratchCheck figures for this game (expected value, ValueScore, and top prize analysis) are calculated against this $3 ticket price.
What are the odds of winning the Word Games scratch-off?
The overall odds of winning any prize with Word Games are 1 in 3.81. This means roughly 1 in every 4 tickets wins a prize of any amount.
What is the top prize for Word Games?
The top prize for Word Games is $30,000. As of our latest update, 3 top prizes remain unclaimed.
What are the prizes for Word Games?
Word Games offers 12 distinct prize levels: $30,000 (8 total), $700 (49 total), $350 (166 total), $100 (237 total), $70 (645 total), $35, $20, $10, $9, $6, $5, and $3. The full prize breakdown with odds and remaining counts is listed in the prize table on this page.
How many prizes are left in Word Games?
Based on our latest data, 47% of all prize tickets remain (approximately 517 out of 1,105 total). Roughly half the prizes remain, which is typical for an active game.
How is Word Games rated by ScratchCheck?
ScratchCheck rates Word Games at 34 out of 100 using ValueScore™, a composite rating built from four factors: Expected Value, Prize Quality, Win Frequency, and Inventory Health. Scores of 80 or above are Excellent, 60 to 79 Good, 40 to 59 Fair, 20 to 39 Below Average, and below 20 is Poor. The score updates automatically as prizes are claimed and data refreshes.
When was Word Games released?
Word Games was released by the Iowa Lottery on January 3, 2025. It has been on sale for over a year, so checking the remaining prize counts is important before buying.
How often is Word Games data updated on ScratchCheck?
Word Games data comes directly from the official Iowa Lottery and is refreshed daily, so the odds and remaining prize counts you see match the lottery's latest published figures.