Deep Dive Saturday: How Jackpot Ratios Can Make or Break Your Ticket Choice

Most players buy scratchers without realizing the most important number isn’t printed on the ticket.

It’s not the “overall odds” on the back.
It’s not the prize amount in bold letters.
It’s the jackpot ratio — and it can completely change how good (or bad) a ticket really is.

Today we’re going to break down exactly what jackpot ratios are, why they matter, and how to use them for smart lottery play starting this weekend.

What Is a Jackpot Ratio?

The jackpot ratio is the relationship between the number of jackpots left and the number of tickets still in circulation.

Example:

• Game launches with 4 jackpots and 8 million tickets → 1 in 2,000,000 jackpot odds.
• Six months later, 6 million tickets are sold but all 4 jackpots are still unclaimed → 1 in 500,000 jackpot odds.

Same ticket. Same price. But your jackpot odds just got four times better.

Why It’s More Important Than “Overall Odds”

The “overall odds” printed on a ticket (like 1 in 3.27) include all prizes, even $5 wins or free tickets.

They don’t tell you if the top prize is still available.

A ticket could have:

• Great overall odds but no jackpots left (bad value)
• Average overall odds but all jackpots still in play (great value)

That’s why lottery jackpot hunting focuses on jackpot ratios instead.

How to Find Jackpot Ratios for Your State

Most state lottery websites post a prize update page that shows:

• Number of jackpots originally printed
• Number of jackpots remaining
• Total prizes left for each tier

You can estimate tickets left by comparing jackpots remaining to the original odds — or by looking at overall prize counts and working backward.

It’s a little math, but it’s worth it.

Using Jackpot Ratios in Your Scratch-Off Ticket Strategy

Once you’ve got the jackpot ratios, here’s how to use them:

Prioritize games with a better current ratio than their launch ratio
(Example: odds were 1 in 2 million at launch, now they’re 1 in 750,000)

Avoid games where jackpots are gone
Even if smaller prizes are still there, you’re removing your shot at the life-changing win.

Check both new and old games
Sometimes a brand-new game with all prizes intact is a good play. Sometimes an older game with fewer tickets left and unclaimed jackpots is even better.

This Weekend’s Action Plan

Here’s your “Deep Dive Saturday” checklist before you buy:

✅ Go to your state lottery’s prize update page.
✅ List the games you normally play.
✅ Compare jackpots remaining vs. tickets sold.
✅ Pick the game with the best ratio today — even if it’s not your usual choice.

A few extra minutes of prep could mean you’re playing a ticket with millions-to-one better odds than the one the person in front of you buys.

Bottom line: Luck still matters, but when the jackpot ratio is in your favor, you’re making the smartest play possible. And that’s how you separate yourself from the crowd.

P.S. if you think that's a lot of work then I have an app for that =)