WIN $250 — $5 New York Scratch-Off #1604
WIN $250 (#1604) is a $5 New York scratch-off launched on March 5, 2024. As of September 9, 2026 it ranks #59 of 109 active games on current payout (67.8%, $3.39 expected back per ticket) and #15 of 28 $5 games, #23 on any-prize odds (1 in 3.48) and #8 on top-prize odds (1 in 735). Since launch the payout has risen 1.7 points (66.0% at launch) and the any-prize odds have improved 20.5% (1 in 4.38 at launch). 494 of 18340 top prizes of $250 remain, and we estimate 363,096 tickets are still unsold (96.0% sold). That is below average for New York; the New York ranking lists show better payouts, including at $5.
Prizes remaining
Every prize level in WIN $250, with the odds printed at launch, the odds today given what is left, and how much of each tier is still unclaimed. Across all tiers, 104,343 of 2,087,332 prizes (5.0%) are still out there.
| Prize | Odds at launch | Odds now | Total | Claimed | Remaining | % left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | 1 in 498.1 | 1 in 735.0 | 18,340 | 17,846 | 494 | 2.7% |
| $100 | 1 in 249.6 | 1 in 309.5 | 36,601 | 35,428 | 1,173 | 3.2% |
| $50 | 1 in 100.0 | 1 in 106.5 | 91,347 | 87,938 | 3,409 | 3.7% |
| $20 | 1 in 80.0 | 1 in 90.2 | 114,152 | 110,128 | 4,024 | 3.5% |
| $15 | 1 in 66.6 | 1 in 68.0 | 137,074 | 131,734 | 5,340 | 3.9% |
| $10 | 1 in 10.0 | 1 in 8.68 | 913,440 | 871,615 | 41,825 | 4.6% |
| $5 | 1 in 11.8 | 1 in 7.55 | 776,378 | 728,300 | 48,078 | 6.2% |
| All prizes | 1 in 4.38 | 1 in 3.48 | 2,087,332 | 1,982,989 | 104,343 | 5.0% |
How WIN $250 has moved
WIN $250: common questions
- How many $250 prizes are left in WIN $250?
- 494 of 18340 as of September 9, 2026. The chance that a ticket bought today is a top-prize winner is about 1 in 735.
- What are the odds of winning anything on WIN $250?
- 1 in 3.48 today, compared with 1 in 4.38 printed at launch. Cash-only odds are 1 in 3.48, and the odds of winning more than the $5 ticket price are 1 in 6.45.
- Is WIN $250 worth buying?
- Its current payout is 67.8% ($3.39 back per $5 ticket), rank #59 of 109 in New York. The best $5 alternative today is $1,000,000 GOLD (#1655, $5) at 93.4%. No scratcher has a positive expected value; this is about losing less over time.
- How many WIN $250 tickets are left?
- We estimate 363,096 of roughly 9,137,969 printed tickets are unsold (96.0% sold), derived from the prizes claimed at each tier and their published odds.
- When did WIN $250 launch and is it still on sale?
- It launched on March 5, 2024. It is still on sale.
Other $5 New York scratch-offs
- $1,000,000 GOLD — 93.4% payout, 1 in 7.03 any prize
- NEW YORK MILLIONAIRE — 90.1% payout, 1 in 4.55 any prize
- $500,000 MATCH TO WIN — 80.1% payout, 1 in 2.80 any prize
- WILD CASH MULTIPLIER — 79.1% payout, 1 in 3.06 any prize
- DOUBLE WIN — 77.9% payout, 1 in 3.04 any prize