InstantMass

Frequently asked questions

What InstantMass measures, where the numbers come from, and what they do and don’t mean.

How many Massachusetts instant games are there, and how many does InstantMass track?
InstantMass tracks every Massachusetts instant (scratch) game in the Lottery's current catalog — usually around 120–130 at any one time, as new games launch and older ones wind down through the year. Draw games such as Mega Millions or KENO aren't the focus here; the analysis is built for scratch tickets, where a fixed pool of printed prizes is drawn down as tickets sell.
How often is the data updated?
Once a day. InstantMass reads the Massachusetts Lottery's published prize data — how many prizes exist at each level and how many are still unclaimed — and saves a dated snapshot for every game. That daily history is what powers the odds-over-time charts, and the "last updated" stamp in the header shows the most recent snapshot.
What are "current jackpot odds," and how are they estimated?
Estimated odds of hitting a TOP prize on a single ticket right now, given how many top prizes and tickets are estimated to remain (“1 in X”). Lower is better. “1 in ∞” means no top prizes are left — a “dead” jackpot. To estimate them, InstantMass works out roughly how many tickets are still unsold — from the published prize counts and the game's overall odds — and compares that to the number of top prizes still unclaimed. It is an estimate, not an official figure.
What do "edge" and "improvement vs launch" mean?
Edge — Compares the share of top prizes still unclaimed with the share of tickets estimated still unsold. Positive = top prizes are depleting SLOWER than tickets (favorable for a jackpot hunter); negative = faster (unfavorable). Improvement vs launch — How much better (or worse) the current jackpot odds are compared with the game's launch-day jackpot odds. Above 1× means the odds are better now than at launch.
What does "return per $1" mean — how much do these games pay back?
All prizes — Estimated prize money returned per $1 spent, counting every prize tier still available (remaining prizes × value ÷ remaining tickets ÷ price). It's below $1 for every game — the lottery keeps the difference (negative expected value). Top prize only — Estimated prize money returned per $1 spent counting ONLY the top-prize tier. It's a component of the all-prizes figure, so it's always less — most of a ticket's expected value is in the smaller prizes. In short: it's the estimated prize money paid back per $1 spent. Because it's below $1 for every game, that shortfall is the house edge — no MA scratch game is a positive-return bet, which is the nature of the lottery, not a flaw in any particular game.
Can I still win if all the top prizes are claimed?
Yes — lower- and mid-tier prizes can still be unclaimed and winnable. But the headline jackpot is gone: once every top prize has been claimed, a ticket has no chance at it. And the Massachusetts Lottery keeps selling a game's tickets after its last top prize is claimed, so it is possible to buy a ticket whose jackpot no longer exists. That is exactly why InstantMass flags "dead" jackpots and always shows how many top prizes remain.
Are these official odds?
The overall odds of winning any prize ("1 in X") are the Lottery's official, published figure. The current jackpot odds, edge, improvement, and ticket-pool numbers are InstantMass's own calculations, derived from the published prize counts — estimates, not official numbers. They are most reliable as relative signals (which games have improved, which jackpots are dead) rather than as exact probabilities.
Is InstantMass affiliated with the Massachusetts Lottery?
No. InstantMass is an independent, unofficial tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. Game names and logos are the property of their respective owners.
Is InstantMass free?
Yes. The full rankings, per-game prize breakdowns, depletion projections, and odds history are all free to use.
Should I use this to decide what to buy?
Treat it as information, not advice. Every lottery game has a negative expected value — over time, players lose more than they win — and better-than-launch odds on a long shot are still long odds. InstantMass only aims to make the published numbers easier to read. If gambling stops being fun or starts causing harm, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

More on the math behind these figures is on the methodology page, or head back to the ranked games.