The current odds of winning any prize on Emeralds are 1 in 5.14 (19.47%), recalculated from the prizes still unclaimed. That covers every prize, from the smallest up to the $50,000 top prize.

Yes. 2 of the 3 $50,000 top prizes have been claimed, and 1 is still unclaimed, as of Oct 10, 2026. We estimate about 35% of the game's 9,108,941 tickets are still unsold.

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

Among the 5 $1 Illinois scratch-offs on sale, Emeralds ranks #5 for odds of breaking even, with 1 in 5.14 tickets winning at least the $1 ticket price back. Right now the $1 game with the best odds of breaking even is Holiday Ca$h, where 1 in 4.4 tickets wins at least $1 back.

Emeralds has 11 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 3,221,577 (1 of 3 left); $1,000+ at 1 in 644,315 (4 of 12 left); $500+ at 1 in 161,079 (15 of 60 left); $100+ at 1 in 9,882 (306 of 1,159 left); $50+ at 1 in 2,264 (1,097 of 3,967 left); $25+ at 1 in 330 (8,339 of 29,150 left); $20+ at 1 in 140 (13,238 of 45,531 left); $10+ at 1 in 63.8 (27,525 of 91,062 left); $5+ at 1 in 29.5 (58,679 of 182,124 left); $2+ at 1 in 9.61 (225,910 of 660,240 left); $1+ at 1 in 5.14 (292,181 of 819,477 left).

The odds of winning at least your $1 back on one Emeralds ticket are 1 in 5.14 (19.47%). The odds of winning more than you paid are 1 in 9.61 (10.40%).

Emeralds costs $1 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.

Emeralds, a $1 Illinois scratch-off, was released on Mar 3, 2026 by the Illinois Lottery.