Scratch smarter,
not harder.
Every scratch-off is a bet against the house. We pull official prize data daily and rank 2,669 games by expected return — so you know which tickets are actually worth scratching before you spend a dime.
Updated every day
A pipeline pulls fresh per-tier prize data from official state lottery sources daily.
Real expected return
We rank by dollars returned per dollar played, based on prizes still unclaimed.
Honest about gaps
When a state won't publish enough data, we mark it Return N/A instead of guessing.
We collect prize data from official state lottery websites every day and calculate the expected return of every scratch-off game we can — how much, on average, a ticket returns per dollar spent based on the prizes still unclaimed. Currently tracking 2,669 active games across 40 states · last updated Aug 1, 2026.
Even the “best” scratch-off almost always returns less than $1 per $1 played. These rankings tell you which games are less bad, not which games are profitable. Play for fun, not for income.
Today’s top 10 by expected return
| # | Game | State | Price | Return / $1 | Top Prize | Est. Tickets Left | Prize Tiers Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300X#404 | Massachusetts | $30 | $4.59 / $1 | $15,000,000 | 136,976 | 13/13 |
| 2 | Fabulous Fortune#340 | Massachusetts | $10 | $1.90 / $1 | $4,000,000 | 305,419 | 12/13 |
| 3 | BONUS 50X#444 | Massachusetts | $5 | $1.82 / $1 | $1,000,000 | 298,502 | 11/11 |
| 4 | $2,000,000 50X CASHWORD 2024#437 | Massachusetts | $10 | $1.66 / $1 | $2,000,000 | 149,761 | 14/15 |
| 5 | $4,000,000 Bonus Loot#413 | Massachusetts | $10 | $1.23 / $1 | $4,000,000 | 1,778,747 | 9/9 |
| 6 | 50X The Money#2305 | Virginia | $20 | $1.17 / $1 | $3,000,000 | 620,084 | 11/12 |
| 7 | Scratch Games#1677 | Connecticut | $30 | $1.14 / $1 | $1,000,000 | 87,616 | 9/9 |
| 8 | 100X#503 | Missouri | $10 | $1.11 / $1 | $1,000,000 | 209,087 | 12/13 |
| 9 | JURASSIC PARK#632 | New Mexico | $10 | $1.09 / $1 | $100,000 | 15,823 | 6/9 |
| 10 | 50X#1609 | Oregon | $20 | $1.08 / $1 | $150,000 | 17,087 | 9/9 |
Scratch-off odds by state
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The Scratch Ledger
Scratch-Off Value Report: We Analyzed 2,641 Lottery Tickets Across 40 States
The average U.S. scratch-off returns about 68 cents on the dollar, pricier tickets pay back more, and just 15 games currently beat the house. A data study of every ticket we track.
Top Lottery Games Editorial · 9 min readWhere Your Scratch-Off Dollar Actually Goes: Prizes, Schools, and the House's Cut
You hand over a dollar. Roughly two-thirds comes back to players as prizes — eventually, to someone. We traced the rest.
Top Lottery Games Editorial · 7 min readHow to Read a Scratch-Off's Odds Before You Buy: A 60-Second Field Guide
The odds are printed right on the ticket — but the number they show you is the least useful one. Here's what to actually look at before you hand over your money.
Top Lottery Games Editorial · 5 min readFrequently asked questions
How do you decide which scratch-off tickets are best?
We rank games by expected return — the average amount a ticket pays back per dollar spent, based on the prizes still unclaimed in that game. The higher the return, the less the game costs you on average.
How often is the data updated?
Every day. We pull per-tier prize data from official state lottery websites and recalculate each game's expected return, because a game's value changes as prizes are claimed.
Does a higher-ranked ticket mean I'll win?
No. Almost every scratch-off has a negative expected return, meaning the average player loses money. A higher ranking means a game loses you less on average — not that it is profitable. Play for fun, not for income.
Are you affiliated with the lottery?
No. Top Lottery Games is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any state lottery. All data comes from publicly available official lottery sources.