INSTANT $500 — $10 New York Scratch-Off #1561
INSTANT $500 (#1561) is a $10 New York scratch-off launched on March 7, 2023. As of September 12, 2026 it ranks #70 of 109 active games on current payout (65.5%, $6.55 expected back per ticket) and #13 of 16 $10 games, #35 on any-prize odds (1 in 3.68) and #6 on top-prize odds (1 in 413). Since launch the payout has fallen 2.7 points (68.2% at launch) and the any-prize odds have improved 12.0% (1 in 4.19 at launch). 895 of 56773 top prizes of $500 remain, and we estimate 370,030 tickets are still unsold (98.0% sold). That is below average for New York; the New York ranking lists show better payouts, including at $10.
Prizes remaining
Every prize level in INSTANT $500, with the odds printed at launch, the odds today given what is left, and how much of each tier is still unclaimed. Across all tiers, 100,437 of 4,427,826 prizes (2.3%) are still out there.
| Prize | Odds at launch | Odds now | Total | Claimed | Remaining | % left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | 1 in 326.5 | 1 in 413.4 | 56,773 | 55,878 | 895 | 1.6% |
| $100 | 1 in 99.9 | 1 in 116.5 | 185,453 | 182,277 | 3,176 | 1.7% |
| $50 | 1 in 48.0 | 1 in 58.4 | 386,143 | 379,806 | 6,337 | 1.6% |
| $30 | 1 in 40.0 | 1 in 44.0 | 463,197 | 454,787 | 8,410 | 1.8% |
| $20 | 1 in 16.7 | 1 in 16.3 | 1,112,235 | 1,089,508 | 22,727 | 2.0% |
| $15 | 1 in 50.0 | 1 in 39.7 | 370,842 | 361,527 | 9,315 | 2.5% |
| $10 | 1 in 10.0 | 1 in 7.46 | 1,853,183 | 1,803,606 | 49,577 | 2.7% |
| All prizes | 1 in 4.19 | 1 in 3.68 | 4,427,826 | 4,327,389 | 100,437 | 2.3% |
How INSTANT $500 has moved
INSTANT $500: common questions
- How many $500 prizes are left in INSTANT $500?
- 895 of 56773 as of September 12, 2026. The chance that a ticket bought today is a top-prize winner is about 1 in 413.
- What are the odds of winning anything on INSTANT $500?
- 1 in 3.68 today, compared with 1 in 4.19 printed at launch. Cash-only odds are 1 in 3.68, and the odds of winning more than the $10 ticket price are 1 in 7.28.
- Is INSTANT $500 worth buying?
- Its current payout is 65.5% ($6.55 back per $10 ticket), rank #70 of 109 in New York. The best $10 alternative today is $50 OR $100 (#1646, $10) at 74.2%. No scratcher has a positive expected value; this is about losing less over time.
- How many INSTANT $500 tickets are left?
- We estimate 370,030 of roughly 18,531,830 printed tickets are unsold (98.0% sold), derived from the prizes claimed at each tier and their published odds.
- When did INSTANT $500 launch and is it still on sale?
- It launched on March 7, 2023. It is still on sale.
Other $10 New York scratch-offs
- $50 OR $100 — 74.2% payout, 1 in 7.62 any prize
- $3,000,000 BONUS STARS — 73.5% payout, 1 in 3.76 any prize
- BONUS 50X — 72.7% payout, 1 in 3.82 any prize
- SET FOR LIFE — 71.1% payout, 1 in 4.62 any prize
- $50 OR $100 — 70.0% payout, 1 in 8.00 any prize