The current odds of winning any prize on Bonus Word Crossword are 1 in 3.51 (28.50%), recalculated from the prizes still unclaimed. That covers every prize, from the smallest up to the $50,000 top prize.

Not yet. All 8 $50,000 top prizes are still unclaimed, as of Oct 5, 2026. We estimate about 74% of the game's 9,591,455 tickets are still unsold.

Yes. Bonus Word Crossword is on sale at Illinois Lottery retailers, and the lottery hasn’t announced an end date.

Among the 2 $3 Illinois scratch-offs on sale, Bonus Word Crossword ranks #1 for odds of breaking even, with 1 in 3.51 tickets winning at least the $3 ticket price back. No other $3 Illinois scratch-off has better odds of breaking even right now.

Bonus Word Crossword has 14 prize levels. Odds are for winning that amount or more on one ticket. Current odds, from the prizes still unclaimed: $50,000 at 1 in 888,510 (8 of 8 left); $2,000+ at 1 in 104,531 (60 of 80 left); $1,000+ at 1 in 53,444 (65 of 77 left); $200+ at 1 in 4,485 (1,452 of 2,009 left); $100+ at 1 in 1,258 (4,067 of 5,607 left); $50+ at 1 in 260 (21,694 of 29,543 left); $30+ at 1 in 114 (35,136 of 48,032 left); $25+ at 1 in 53.8 (69,737 of 95,955 left); $20+ at 1 in 38.4 (52,864 of 71,944 left); $10+ at 1 in 21.8 (140,897 of 191,940 left); $8+ at 1 in 18 (69,834 of 95,959 left); $6+ at 1 in 11.7 (210,292 of 287,877 left); $5+ at 1 in 6.47 (493,060 of 671,770 left); $3+ at 1 in 3.51 (926,491 of 1,247,467 left).

The odds of winning at least your $3 back on one Bonus Word Crossword ticket are 1 in 3.51 (28.50%). The odds of winning more than you paid are 1 in 6.47 (15.46%).

Bonus Word Crossword costs $3 per ticket. It is sold at authorized Illinois Lottery retailers throughout the state.

Yes — Illinois instant tickets and Illinois scratch-offs are the same thing: a paper lottery ticket you scratch to reveal whether it wins. The Illinois Lottery lists them under "Instant Tickets" on its own site. "Instant Tickets" is simply what most players in Illinois call them, while "scratch-off" and "scratch ticket" are the terms used in other states. In Illinois, "instant games" and "instant tickets" mean these same paper tickets you buy at a retailer — not the lottery's online games. Every game ranked on this page is the same physical ticket, whichever name you use for it.

Bonus Word Crossword, a $3 Illinois scratch-off, was released on Jul 7, 2026 by the Illinois Lottery.