How It Works

ScratchCheck analyzes publicly available lottery data and organizes it into structured comparisons so you can evaluate scratch-off games more clearly. This page explains where our data comes from, how we calculate metrics, and how to interpret the results.

Where Our Data Comes From

ScratchCheck collects lottery information directly from official state, provincial, and international lottery websites. Our automated systems retrieve publicly available data including:

• Overall odds (when published)
• Prize tier breakdowns
• Remaining prize counts
• Ticket price
• Game launch and availability status

Data is processed, standardized, and displayed in a consistent format to allow cross-game and cross-region comparison.

ScratchCheck does not access private lottery systems and does not receive privileged or non-public data. The displayed information reflects the most recent published data at the time of our last update. Almost all of the states data are updated daily and certain states are updated multiple times throughout the day.

Data Tiers Explained

Not all lottery jurisdictions publish scratch-off data in the same format. We classify data reliability into two tiers for full transparency.

🟢 GREEN Tier: Full Official Data

These jurisdictions publish complete official data including:

• Official overall odds
• Complete prize tier breakdowns
• Remaining prize counts

Data is pulled directly from official lottery sources and typically updated daily.

🟠 ORANGE Tier: Estimated Data

These regions do not publish official overall odds or provide incomplete remaining prize data. In these cases, ScratchCheck derives certain metrics using:

• Published prize structures
• Print run information (where available)
• Mathematical estimation methods

Estimated values are clearly labeled (~Est.) on all relevant game pages.

How ValueScore™ Works

ValueScore™ is ScratchCheck's proprietary 0–100 comparative rating system. It weighs four statistical components, listed here in order of how much they influence the score:

• Expected Value: weighted most heavily; the estimated long-run return per dollar spent.
• Prize Quality: the size and distribution of higher-tier prizes.
• Win Frequency: the probability of winning any prize.
• Inventory Health: remaining prizes relative to the original distribution.

Each factor is scored and blended into a single 0–100 rating, with expected value carrying the greatest weight. The precise weighting is proprietary.

Score ranges: 80+ Excellent · 60–79 Strong · 40–59 Average · Below 40 Poor

ValueScore™ is designed to help compare games relative to one another. It does not predict outcomes and does not alter official lottery odds.

Understanding Overall Odds

Overall odds represent the probability of winning any prize on a single ticket.

Example: Odds of 1 in 3.50 means that, statistically, approximately 1 out of every 3.5 tickets will win some prize. Lower numbers indicate better odds.

Important: Overall odds include all prize tiers, including small or break-even prizes. They do not reflect the probability of winning top prizes. Each ticket outcome is statistically independent.

How to Use ScratchCheck

When comparing games, consider these factors together rather than any single metric in isolation:

• Overall odds: frequency of winning any prize
• Top prizes remaining: how many jackpot-level prizes are still in circulation
• Prize distribution across tiers: balance of small, mid, and large prizes
• Estimated expected value: average return per dollar over many tickets
• Ticket price relative to potential payouts

Games with a higher ValueScore™ may offer comparatively stronger statistical characteristics, but no game eliminates the lottery's mathematical advantage.

Update Frequency

Data is updated daily for jurisdictions that publish official odds and remaining prize information (GREEN Tier). Certain states are updated multiple times throughout the day.

For regions where overall odds must be derived from published prize structures or partial disclosures (ORANGE Tier), updates occur multiple times per week using our estimation methodology.

Each game page displays a "Last Updated" timestamp so you can always see how current the displayed information is.

Beyond the Score: Our Analysis Tools

ScratchCheck is more than a data table. Alongside ValueScore™, each game and state page includes original analytical tools so you can evaluate tickets yourself:

• Expected Value calculator: projected return for any budget on a given game.
• Game simulator: a Monte Carlo simulation that plays thousands of virtual tickets using each game's published per-tier odds, at either launch odds or current remaining-prize odds.
• Budget & Goal Optimizer: given a budget or a target payout, it ranks which games give you the best statistical shot.
• Breakeven probability: the modeled chance of at least breaking even at common budget levels.

You can also browse games by best overall ValueScore™, best odds, highest top prize, and most top prizes remaining.

Responsible Play

ScratchCheck provides analytical tools for informational purposes only. All lottery games are games of chance and carry a statistical expectation of loss over time. No data analysis or scoring system can guarantee profit or change the inherent odds of any game.

Play responsibly and within your financial limits.

If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.