Scrabble Tile Values

Complete point system, tile distribution, and strategy for every letter in the bag

🎯 Scrabble Tile Values at a Glance

Understanding tile values is fundamental to Scrabble strategy. The 100 tiles in the bag are divided into 7 value tiers, from the common 1-point vowels to the mighty 10-point Q and Z. Knowing how many of each letter exist and what they're worth helps you make better decisions about tile management, exchanges, and endgame play.

Complete Tile Distribution & Values

Letter	Points	Count	Total Value
A	1	9	9
B	3	2	6
C	3	2	6
D	2	4	8
E	1	12	12
F	4	2	8
G	2	3	6
H	4	2	8
I	1	9	9
J	8	1	8
K	5	1	5
L	1	4	4
M	3	2	6
N	1	6	6
O	1	8	8
P	3	2	6
Q	10	1	10
R	1	6	6
S	1	4	4
T	1	6	6
U	1	4	4
V	4	2	8
W	4	2	8
X	8	1	8
Y	4	2	8
Z	10	1	10
Blank	0	2	0
Total	—	100	—

Key Statistics

Most common tile: E with 12 copies (12% of the bag)
Rarest tiles: J, K, Q, X, Z — only 1 of each in the bag
Total tiles: 100 (98 letter tiles + 2 blanks)
Vowels in the bag: A(9) + E(12) + I(9) + O(8) + U(4) = 42 tiles (42%)
Consonants in the bag: 56 tiles (56%)
Blanks: 2 tiles worth 0 points but invaluable for bingos
Total face value of all tiles: 187 points

One-Point Tiles — A, E, I, L, N, O, R, S, T, U (1 pt each)

The workhorses. These 10 letters (A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T, R) make up 68 of the 100 tiles in the bag. They're easy to play and essential for bingos. E is the most common tile with 12 copies — if you're not playing E every turn, you're playing too slowly.

1 pts

9 tiles

1 pts

12 tiles

1 pts

9 tiles

1 pts

4 tiles

1 pts

6 tiles

1 pts

8 tiles

1 pts

6 tiles

1 pts

4 tiles

1 pts

6 tiles

1 pts

4 tiles

Two-Point Tiles — D, G (2 pts each)

D and G are slightly more valuable but still easy to play. There are only 4 Ds and 3 Gs in the bag, so they're less replaceable than one-point tiles.

2 pts

4 tiles

2 pts

3 tiles

Three-Point Tiles — B, C, M, P (3 pts each)

B, C, M, P — mid-value consonants that can add up. Each has only 2 copies in the bag (except M with 2). Don't waste these on low-scoring plays when you could save them for bonus squares.

3 pts

2 tiles

3 pts

2 tiles

3 pts

2 tiles

3 pts

2 tiles

Four-Point Tiles — F, H, V, W, Y (4 pts each)

F, H, V, W, Y — these are where strategy starts to matter. V is particularly tricky (very few short words). W and Y have more options. Each has only 2 copies in the bag.

4 pts

2 tiles

4 pts

2 tiles

4 pts

2 tiles

4 pts

2 tiles

4 pts

2 tiles

Five-Point Tiles — K (5 pts each)

K is the lone 5-pointer. There's only 1 K in the bag, making it both scarce and valuable. The good news: K fits into many common words (ASK, LIKE, MAKE, TAKE), so it's usually playable.

5 pts

1 tile

Eight-Point Tiles — J, X (8 pts each)

J and X — high-value tiles that reward memorization. J almost always starts words. X can appear anywhere (AX, EX, OX, XI). Both have only 1 copy in the bag. Learn their short words and you'll always score big.

8 pts

1 tile

8 pts

1 tile

Ten-Point Tiles — Q, Z (10 pts each)

Q and Z — the king and queen of Scrabble tiles. Q (1 copy) needs a U or Q-without-U knowledge. Z (1 copy) is more flexible and arguably the best tile in the game. Both are worth 10 points but play very differently.

10 pts

1 tile

10 pts

1 tile

Tile Strategy: Value vs. Playability

Not all tiles are created equal, even at the same point value. Here's how to think about tile "quality":

Best tiles to draw: S (1 pt, 4 copies, incredibly versatile — pluralizes any noun), E (1 pt, 12 copies, the most playable letter), T (1 pt, 6 copies, starts and ends many words), R (1 pt, 6 copies, common in bingos)
Worst tiles to draw: Q (10 pts but needs U), V (4 pts but hard to play), U (1 pt but hard to play without Q or other consonants), W (4 pts, limited options)
The "leave" value matters: A tile's real value isn't just its face value — it's how well it combines with other tiles. S is worth far more than 1 point because it enables bingos. Q is worth less than 10 points if you don't have a U.
Exchange threshold: If you have 3+ low-playability tiles (Q without U, multiple Vs, etc.), consider exchanging rather than making weak plays. A good exchange often earns more over the rest of the game than a mediocre play.

The Blank Tile Strategy

Blanks are the most strategically important tiles in the bag, worth 0 points but priceless for bingos. Key principles:

Never play a blank for fewer than 20 points — Blanks are too valuable for small scores. Save them for bingos or plays that score 20+ without the bingo bonus.
Use blanks for bingos — A blank + 6 other tiles = potential 50-point bonus. That's the single highest-impact play in Scrabble.
Don't duplicate the blank — If you play a blank as S, you still have 3 real S tiles in the bag. But if you play a blank as Z, you now have 2 Zs in play, which can block future plays.
Endgame blanks — In the endgame, blank value drops since there are fewer bingo opportunities. A 15-point blank play in the last 3 turns is fine.

Tile Counting: Know What's Left

Expert players track which tiles have been played. With 100 tiles total, you can know what's left in the bag:

Tiles seen — Your rack (7) + tiles on the board = tiles accounted for. Subtract from 100 to get tiles remaining.
Key tiles to track — S (4 copies, critical for plurals and bingos), blanks (2 copies, essential for bingos), Q (1 copy, determines if U is playable), J/X/Z (1 each, high value if still out).
Vowel-consonant balance — If many vowels are still in the bag, your opponent likely has consonants (and vice versa). This affects your exchange strategy.
Endgame implications — When the bag is empty and you know your opponent's tiles, you can calculate exact outcomes. This is where tile counting pays the biggest dividends.