Definition
Overall Odds
Also known as Overall Odds of Winning, Game Odds, Headline Odds
By Abhinav VasudevanReviewed Editorial policy
In short
Overall odds are the chance that a ticket wins any prize, including a refund of the ticket price. They are the figure advertised on scratch cards and they overstate the practical chance of winning.
Overall odds combine every prize tier into a single figure, typically expressed as “overall odds of winning are 1 in 3.5”.
What goes into the number
Every winning ticket counts equally, whether it wins £100,000 or returns your £2 stake.
Since stake refunds are by far the most numerous prize in almost every game, they dominate the calculation. A game where 29% of tickets win will typically have 18 to 22 of those percentage points made up of refunds and near-refunds.
Why higher-priced cards show better overall odds
A £10 card commonly advertises overall odds around 1 in 3, against 1 in 4.5 for a £1 card. This looks like better value and partly is.
The mechanism is that expensive cards have more prize tiers and more low-value prizes, and their RTP is genuinely higher, commonly 70%+ against 58% for the cheapest cards.
So higher-priced cards are better value per pound staked. They also cost more per ticket, so the actual money lost per card is larger.
The comparison that puts it in context
| Bet | Chance of a genuine gain | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Scratch card (typical) | ~1 in 10 | 60–70% |
| Roulette red/black | 1 in 2.06 | 97.3% |
| Slot spin | ~1 in 4 | 94–97% |
| Blackjack hand | ~1 in 2.2 | 99.5% |
Overall odds make scratch cards look competitive with slots. They are not, the headline figure is counting different things.
Where the figure is genuinely useful
Comparing between scratch card games at the same price point. Both will be quoting the same measure, so the comparison is like for like.
A £2 card at 1 in 3.2 is better than a £2 card at 1 in 4.5, all else equal. Combine that with the published remaining prizes data and you have the only two pieces of information that meaningfully distinguish one ticket from another.
Common questions
What are overall odds on a scratch card?
The chance of winning any prize, combining every tier including stake refunds. Since refunds are the most numerous prize in almost every game, they dominate the figure and make it look better than it is.
Why do expensive scratch cards show better overall odds?
Because they have more prize tiers and genuinely higher RTP, often 70% or more against 58% for the cheapest cards. They are better value per pound staked, though each ticket costs more.