Original Blog Entry: When the top prize is gone but the game is still on sale

OddsObserver300 — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:44:02 GMT

A small example from this week of why I check the remaining-prizes list, not just the printed odds.

New York's BONUS 50X (Game #1640, $10) launched in January 2025 with four $3,000,000 top prizes. On Oct 28 the NY Lottery's remaining-prizes data showed 1 of 4 left. On Oct 29 it showed 0 of 4.

The game is still on sale, and there's nothing wrong with that. Lotteries keep selling a game after the top prizes are claimed, and the lower tiers still pay. The odds printed on the back of the ticket haven't changed either, because they describe the whole print run, not what's left out in stores.

But anyone buying a BONUS 50X today can't win the $3M. The best still possible is one of the lower tiers.

What I do before buying any scratcher:

1. Look up the game number on that state's official remaining-prizes list.

2. Note the as of date on the list.

3. If the top tier reads 0, decide whether I still want the ticket for the smaller prizes. Sometimes I do, but it should be a choice, not a surprise.

Printed odds tell you how the game was built. The remaining list tells you what's still out there.

18+, play responsibly. Not affiliated with any state lottery.... [ More ]