ST. LOUIS, Mo. – There are several websites using different methods to track the odds of winning state scratch-off lottery games. Experts are also sharing strategies to help boost your chances of winning.
So, what are the best scratch-off games to play in Missouri? Well, that depends on who you ask.
Playing the odds
If you rank Missouri’s scratchers games by the odds of winning, then the 300 X game has the best odds at 1 in 2.64. The top prize in this game is $3 million. It is among several $30 games in Missouri that have better than average chances of winning.
Scratchoff-Odds.com says that a $20 game called “200X THE MONEY” is the one you should play. The chances of winning are around 1 in 3 and the top prize is $2 million. This game is set to end on October 28 and there is only one top prize remaining.
Making a million?
Why does Scratchoff-Odds.com list “200X THE MONEY” as the best scratcher game to play in Missouri? They don’t use the odds posted by the lottery. Rather, they use a score determined by taking the total number of remaining prizes divided by the total amount of money it would cost to buy all the remaining tickets.
There are less than 140,000 tickets remaining in this game, according to Scratchoff-Odds.com. If you purchased every single one of them for $20 then you would spend $2,800,000. The total remaining prizes in this game is $3,862,480. So, it is possible to make over a million dollars if you’re able to locate every ticket and the estimates are correct. Remember, some people do misplace winning tickets.
This game ends soon, so you may want to check again to see what new game has the top score.
Most popular
Having the best odds or the highest payout doesn’t mean that more people actually played that game. Scratchoff-Odds.com also says that between Sep 12 and Sep 19, “10X THE BUCKS” was the most popular game with 264,860 tickets sold. The average chance of winning anything in this game is around 1 in 4.62, including free ticket prizes. The top prize is $5,000.
This is understandable because the most popular game in Missouri costs only $1 while the one with the best odds of winning costs 20 times more. This is actually part of a strategy that you can use to improve your odds.
Strategies
More expensive scratch-off tickets will often have better odds of winning. A lottery “pro” tells The Sun that tickets costing $30 are the best games to play. This tracks with the odds posted on the Missouri Lottery’s website.
The odds are usually stacked in the state’s favor to win. Otherwise, there would not be a game. Occasionally, there are people who figure out a way to beat a game. Those cases are few and far between. You will likely lose money playing these games, but it doesn’t hurt to try to improve your chances of winning every once in a while.