A $3 scratch-off from the Iowa Lottery, Words That Win is on sale now. The published overall odds are 1 in 3.80. Averaged across the remaining prize pool, each $1 buys about $0.61 in expected winnings, a below-average result. The top prize is $30,000. By our count about half the prizes remain, with 37% of all prizes unclaimed. It scores 33/100 (Below Avg) on ScratchCheck's ValueScore. That makes it #66 of the 72 active games we track in Iowa, and 12th out of 12 $3 tickets in Iowa.
Overall Odds
1 in 3.80
Exp. Value
$0.61
per $1 spent
Top Prize
$30,000
Top Prizes Left
3
Prizes Remaining
37%
ValueScore™
33 / 100
Below Avg
Should I Buy This Ticket?
Expected value per $1 spent:
$0.61↓
BELOW AVERAGE
Weak value right now at #66 of the 72 active games we track in Iowa. Check the higher-ranked games in Iowa first.
Why
↓At 1 in 3.80, winning tickets turn up less often than usual.
- Softer expected value here: only $0.61 of each $1 comes back as prizes.
- Prize quality is fair, with some of the bigger winners already claimed.
Prize Breakdown
| Prize | Odds | Total | Left | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | 1 in 125,686 | 7 | 3 | 43% |
| $3,000 | 1 in 125,686 | 7 | 2 | 29% |
| $500 | 1 in 13,131 | 67 | 26 | 39% |
| $50 | 1 in 724 | 1,216 | 448 | 37% |
| $30 | 1 in 546 | - | Not reported | - |
| $20 | 1 in 100 | - | Not reported | - |
| $12 | 1 in 50 | - | Not reported | - |
| $10 | 1 in 50 | - | Not reported | - |
| $6 | 1 in 50 | - | Not reported | - |
| $5 | 1 in 25 | - | Not reported | - |
| $3 | 1 in 7 | - | Not reported | - |
“Not reported” = the lottery publishes remaining-prize counts for its top prizes only.
ValueScore™ Breakdown
33
VALUESCORE
Below Avg
33
out of 100
Expected Value
10/40
Prize Quality
10/25
Win Frequency
5/20
Inventory Health
8/15
Updated: 9/4/2026
Game Details
- State
- Iowa
- Game Number
- 717
- Ticket Price
- $3
- Start Date
- 11/5/2024
- Payout %
- 61.1%
- Data Source
- Official
- Last Updated
- 9/4/2026
Compare
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Image Credit: Iowa Lottery
$3.00 per ticket · 1 in 3.80 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 Words That Win scratch-off a good buy?
Words That Win scores 33/100 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 Words That Win cost?
Words That Win 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 Words That Win scratch-off?
The overall odds of winning any prize with Words That Win are 1 in 3.80. This means roughly 1 in every 4 tickets wins a prize of any amount.
What is the top prize for Words That Win?
The top prize for Words That Win is $30,000. As of our latest update, 3 top prizes remain unclaimed.
What are the prizes for Words That Win?
Words That Win offers 11 distinct prize levels: $30,000 (7 total), $3,000 (7 total), $500 (67 total), $50 (1,216 total), $30, $20, $12, $10, $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 Words That Win?
Based on our latest data, 37% of all prize tickets remain (approximately 479 out of 1,297 total). The game is winding down. A significant portion of prizes have already been claimed.
How is Words That Win rated by ScratchCheck?
ScratchCheck rates Words That Win at 33 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 Words That Win released?
Words That Win was released by the Iowa Lottery on November 5, 2024. It has been on sale for over a year, so checking the remaining prize counts is important before buying.
How often is Words That Win data updated on ScratchCheck?
Words That Win 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.