If you enjoy playing the lottery with scratch off tickets, you may have wondered just how many tickets come in a full book. The number of scratch offs in a book can vary quite a bit based on factors like the price of the ticket, state regulations, and the specific game.
Typically, scratch off books contain anywhere from 10 tickets up to 50 tickets, depending on the cost of each ticket. Books of cheaper $1 and $2 tickets tend to have more tickets, while expensive $20, $30 or $50 ticket books have fewer.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down exactly how many scratch off lottery tickets you can expect to get in a full book based on price point. We’ll also look at why the ticket count varies so much, how state lotteries distribute and print scratchers, and tips to improve your chances if buying a whole book.
What Determines The Number of Scratch Off Tickets Per Book?
The number of scratch offs in a book depends on several key factors:
Ticket Price
The price of the scratch off ticket is the biggest determinant of how many come in a full book. Cheaper $1 and $2 tickets can be printed in higher volumes at lower costs. This allows for more tickets per book before the size becomes unmanageable. More expensive $10, $20 and $50 tickets have lower print runs due to production expenses.
State Lottery Regulations
Each state lottery has their own regulations and standards for how many tickets constitute a book based on the price point. There may be some variation between states in ticket counts per book.
Specific Scratch Off Game
Some scratch off games may have slightly more or less tickets per book than similar priced games based on the design, size of cards, and production considerations.
Keeping Total Book Value Balanced
Lotteries want to keep the total value of a scratch off book at a reasonable amount for both players and retailers selling them. Too low value per book means constant hassle for retailers restocking. Too high value per book means tying up cashiers with large purchases.
Typical Ticket Count In Scratch Off Books By Price
While the exact number of tickets per scratch off book can vary slightly, here are the typical amounts you can expect based on the common price points:
$1 Scratch Off Ticket Books
For the $1 scratch-off tickets, books will typically contain around 250 tickets, for a total book value of $250. These games allow for the maximum number of tickets per book based on printing costs and size restrictions.
$2 Scratch Off Ticket Books
When moving up to $2 scratch offs, the average number of tickets per book drops to 100 tickets, making a $2 ticket book worth $200. The slightly bigger tickets and higher production expenses mean less per book.
$5 Scratch Off Ticket Books
For the popular $5 price point, you’ll generally find 80 tickets in a full book, for a total value of $400. As the price goes up, the total number in a book trends lower.
$10 Scratch Off Ticket Books
In a $10 scratch off ticket book, expect to find approximately 50 tickets, making these books worth $500.
$20 Scratch Off Ticket Books
As prices increases, the ticket count decreases. A $20 scratch off book will typically have 30 tickets, for a total book value of $600.
$30 Scratch Off Ticket Books
For the high end $30 scratchers, you’ll usually only find around 30 tickets in a full book. But that still adds up to an investment of $900 for the book.
$50 Scratch Off Ticket Books
At the highest price points like $50 a ticket, a scratch off book may only have 20 tickets total. But at a $50 price per ticket, that still means you’re looking at spending $1000 for a complete book.
As you can see, the overall trend is that as scratch off ticket prices increase, the number of tickets that come in a full book decreases. This helps keep the total investment cost to purchase an entire book relatively consistent across the various price points.
Why Does Ticket Count Vary Between Lower and Higher Priced Scratch Offs?
There are a few key reasons why scratch off books have more tickets for lower priced games versus fewer tickets for expensive games:
Production Costs
Lower priced scratch off tickets cost less to produce than higher price point tickets. Factors like cardstock, ink colors, and security features mean production expenses go up as ticket prices rises. This allows lotteries to print more $1 and $2 scratch offs before size and bulk becomes an issue.
Sales Velocity
Lower priced scratch offs also sell more quickly than expensive tickets. Lottery retailers don’t mind refilling $1 and $2 scratch offs frequently, but don’t want to be changing out books multiple times a day. Higher price point games may sit for days before selling out a book.
Managing Book Value for Retailers
Keeping total book value in an optimal range benefits both players and retailers. Too low value per book creates hassle constantly getting new scratch offs. Too high means tying up the retailer’s cash reserves in lottery inventory.
Checking Your State Lottery Website for Exact Scratch Off Ticket Counts
To find out exactly how many scratch off tickets come in full book for a particular game, you can check your state lottery’s website. They should have a page that lists all current scratch off games available and the number of tickets that constitute a full book.
This allows you to calculate exactly how much it would cost to purchase an entire book for any game you are interested in playing. It also helps determine your overall odds if you plan on buying in volume.
As new scratch off games are introduced and old ones retired, the state lottery will update their website with the ticket counts per book so players always have accurate information. Don’t assume all similar priced games have the same number of tickets per book.
Does Buying a Whole Book of Scratch Off Tickets Increase Your Odds?
One strategy serious lottery players use is to buy entire books of scratch off tickets to improve their chances of winning. But does it really make a difference?
The main logic behind buying a full book is that prize winning tickets are typically spread out across the whole book as it’s printed. Lotteries guarantee a certain number of winners per book.
So if you purchase fewer than the full amount of tickets in a book, you decrease your chances of hitting some of those winning tickets spread across the entire print run.
However, while buying a full book can potentially increase your odds slightly, it’s still no guarantee you will win back the cost of the book, or even show a profit. Odds are you may just end up with more losing tickets than if you had only bought a few.
For most players, the cost of buying an entire 50 ticket book is prohibitive, especially as ticket prices rise. And chasing losses by buying more and more tickets rarely works out well financially.
See buying a full book as more of an entertainment expense and a way to extend playtime, rather than as a strict investment strategy to increase winnings. Set a gambling budget and stick to it, whether buying individual tickets or whole books.
How State Lotteries Print and Distribute Scratch Off Ticket Books to Retailers
Scratch off tickets aren’t randomly printed, but produced in sealed packs for distribution to retailers. Here is how the process works:
- Lotteries determine how many winners they want in a game and calculate print runs so prize winning tickets are dispersed at fixed intervals across the entire game.
- Scratch off tickets are printed in batches called “books” that each contain a fixed set of winning and non-winning tickets.
- Printed scratch off books are packaged into sealed packs so retailers can’t tamper with or misdistribute tickets.
- Retailers are shipped packs of unopened books from which they sell individual tickets to players.
- Once a top prize is claimed, the remaining tickets in opened books at retailers will still be sold even though the best prizes are gone.
Knowing scratch offs follow fixed patterns and aren’t randomly distributed can help players make smarter choices. If your goal is maximizing wins, focus on newer games over older ones to increase your odds.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Buying Scratch Off Ticket Books
Here are some tips if you plan on purchasing entire scratch off ticket books:
- Have a Budget– Only spend what you can afford to lose, don’t overextend finances chasing wins
- Start Small– Try buying sections of a book before committing to the full amount
- Know the Odds– Calculate prize odds and total book cost before investing in one
- See It As Entertainment– Don’t just play to win money, focus on the enjoyment
- Play New Games– Choose brand new scratch offs where top prizes remain
- Avoid Addiction – Don’t get sucked into compulsion, make smart gambling choices
Conclusion
When playing the lottery with scratch off tickets, you have the option to increase your chances slightly by purchasing entire books instead of just single tickets. But overall odds are still low, so manage your expectations. Use the data on your state lottery website to make informed decisions before buying. Weigh the costs versus potential prizes, make a budget, and gamble responsibly.
Scratch offs should be fun, not a financial drain. Check the details of any game first, and never buy more than you can afford to lose. While a full book could yield that big jackpot, it’s still a long shot. Play new games, consider going in with a group, and focus on enjoying the experience rather than strictly chasing a payday.
