Scratch Card Expected Value Calculator
Enter the price, total ticket count and complete prize table for the same pool. Defaults are a worked example, not a real scratch card.
Calculation details
| Prize | Tickets | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Fill in the fields above — the result is computed on this page. | ||
How to use this page
- Enter your data and check the input limits.
- Read the result and the detail table when available.
- Change the inputs to compare scenarios. Calculations run locally in your browser.
What this page does not do: It does not point to numbers to play and does not predict a draw — every draw is independent of the previous ones.
Further reading
Formula
EV = Σ(vᵢ × nᵢ) / N − c Each row describes the total payout on one ticket and the number of tickets with that payout. Do not count individual winning symbols on the same ticket separately. Remaining tickets are treated as losing tickets. Omitting a prize tier makes the result incomplete.
For an original issue, use the original prize table. Current expected value requires both the total number of unsold tickets and prizes on those same tickets. Unclaimed prize counts alone are insufficient.
Worked example: 100 tickets costing 5 each, with twenty prizes of 5, five of 20 and one of 100. Expected payout is 3, net result −2, return 60%, chance of any prize 26%, chance of profit 6%. A payout equal to the ticket price is not profit. Amounts are before taxes, in one currency. Expected value does not predict any individual ticket.
See also
Keno Odds Calculator
Probability of every number of matches in Keno (20 of 70) or any game drawn without replacement — a full table, no payouts.
Lottery Odds Calculator
Exact odds of matching any number of balls in Lotto, Eurojackpot, Keno or your own lottery — as 1 in X and as a percentage.
Lottery Syndicate Calculator
Split a prize by member shares. For equal shares, enter 1 for each member.