Festive $250's

Festive $250's is a $5 scratch-off that has been on the market for 22 weeks. The ROI is -29.3%, so this one is best played for entertainment rather than value. Each ticket returns an expected $3.53 in prize value. There are 470 of the original 871 top prizes still available. Top prize odds are holding steady with a -0.6% change since launch. Among the 31 active $5 games in Washington DC, Festive $250's ranks #21 by expected value. If you're looking for the best value at this price point, also consider 20X the Cash ($5.05 EV) and DC LOVE ($3.81 EV).

Instead of buying one Festive $250's ($5) ticket, consider buying 1x One-Word Crossword ($3) + 1x MONOPOLY ($2). This combination delivers $3.89 in expected value compared to $3.53 for the single ticket — a 10.1% improvement. It also gives you a 40.9% chance of winning at least one prize versus 25.8% with the single ticket. Play responsibly — lottery games are for entertainment.