The current odds of winning any prize on Winter Words are 1 in 4.09 (24.45%), recalculated from the prizes still unclaimed. That covers every prize, from the smallest up to the $70,000 top prize.

Not yet. All 3 $70,000 top prizes are still unclaimed, as of Oct 31, 2026. We estimate nearly all of the game's 3,231,043 tickets are still unsold.

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

Among the 3 $3 Illinois scratch-offs on sale, Winter Words ranks #3 for odds of breaking even, with 1 in 4.09 tickets winning at least the $3 ticket price back. Right now the $3 game with the best odds of breaking even is Bonus Word Crossword, where 1 in 3.51 tickets wins at least $3 back.

Winter Words has 27 prize levels. Odds are for winning that amount or more on one ticket. Current odds, from the prizes still unclaimed: $70,000 at 1 in 1,075,545 (3 of 3 left); $7,000+ at 1 in 358,515 (6 of 6 left); $700+ at 1 in 46,763 (60 of 60 left); $500+ at 1 in 9,518 (270 of 271 left); $200+ at 1 in 5,333 (266 of 267 left); $120+ at 1 in 3,717 (263 of 263 left); $100+ at 1 in 1,465 (1,335 of 1,337 left); $75+ at 1 in 983 (1,081 of 1,082 left); $72+ at 1 in 845 (536 of 537 left); $70+ at 1 in 698 (800 of 801 left); $60+ at 1 in 567 (1,075 of 1,075 left); $50+ at 1 in 292 (5,365 of 5,369 left); $42+ at 1 in 260 (1,349 of 1,352 left); $36+ at 1 in 214 (2,677 of 2,680 left); $35+ at 1 in 196 (1,345 of 1,346 left); $30+ at 1 in 139 (6,731 of 6,742 left); $25+ at 1 in 103 (8,075 of 8,095 left); $21+ at 1 in 76.8 (10,781 of 10,790 left); $20+ at 1 in 61.2 (10,738 of 10,752 left); $18+ at 1 in 45.8 (17,767 of 17,789 left); $15+ at 1 in 34 (24,256 of 24,290 left); $12+ at 1 in 25.4 (32,285 of 32,333 left); $10+ at 1 in 19.3 (40,316 of 40,376 left); $9+ at 1 in 13.9 (64,572 of 64,666 left); $6+ at 1 in 8.2 (161,433 of 161,665 left); $5+ at 1 in 6.08 (137,171 of 137,375 left); $3+ at 1 in 4.09 (258,315 of 258,664 left).

The odds of winning at least your $3 back on one Winter Words ticket are 1 in 4.09 (24.45%). The odds of winning more than you paid are 1 in 6.08 (16.44%).

Winter Words 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.

Winter Words, a $3 Illinois scratch-off, was released on Nov 3, 2026 by the Illinois Lottery.