Best $20 California Scratchers (September 2026)
As of September 12, 2026, 14 $20 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 77.7% current payout. The best of them is 100X at 80.8% ($16.15 back per ticket, 1 in 3.17 for any prize).
Price is the strongest predictor of payout on a scratcher: the more a ticket costs, the larger the share of its price the lottery returns in prizes. In California today, $1 games average 67.6%, $2 games average 67.1%, $3 games average 67.3%, $5 games average 70.0%, $10 games average 72.8%, $30 games average 79.1%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $20 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 5.1 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $20
100X
#169680.8% payout now- EV / ticket
- $16.15
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.17
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.33
- Top prizes
- 3 of 6
Best payout - 2 $20
Set for Life
#170578.8% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.77
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.59
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.38
- Top prizes
- 5 of 6
- 3 $20
MONOPOLY
#166978.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.71
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.48
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.22
- Top prizes
- 4 of 6
- 4 $20
Golden State Riches
#173578.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.70
- Any prize
- 1 in 2.89
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.91
- Top prizes
- 6 of 7
- 5 $20
100X The Cash
#172278.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.69
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.36
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.05
- Top prizes
- 3 of 6
- 6 $20
Show Me $5,000,000!
#167878.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.69
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.33
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.01
- Top prizes
- 2 of 5
- 7 $20
$5,000,000 Superstar
#170978.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.07
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.69
- Top prizes
- 0 of 5
No top prize left - 8 $20
Instant Prize Crossword
#159077.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.49
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.12
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.35
- Top prizes
- 9 of 27
- 9 $20
Instant Prize Crossword
#173977.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.46
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.19
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.45
- Top prizes
- 14 of 15
- 10 $20
$100 or $200 Frenzy
#173176.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.29
- Any prize
- 1 in 7.89
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.89
- Top prizes
- 278,364 of 467,736
- 11 $20
$5,000,000 Extreme Cash
#174476.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.28
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.08
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.15
- Top prizes
- 4 of 4
New - 12 $20
$100 or $200
#168776.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.27
- Any prize
- 1 in 7.91
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.91
- Top prizes
- 64,359 of 424,075
- 13 $20
Cash King
#166476.0% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.21
- Any prize
- 1 in 2.98
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.95
- Top prizes
- 2 of 6
- 14 $20
Red Carpet Riches
#171475.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $15.13
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.19
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.45
- Top prizes
- 5 of 12
Payout is what the remaining prize pool returns per dollar; profit odds count only prizes larger than the ticket price. Definitions are on the methodology page.
Compare all 14 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. 100X | $20 | 80.8% | $16.15 | 1 in 3.17 | 1 in 3.17 | 1 in 6.33 | $5,000,000 | 3 | +3.9 pts |
| 2. Set for Life | $20 | 78.8% | $15.77 | 1 in 3.59 | 1 in 5.42 | 1 in 5.38 | $200,000 | 5 | — |
| 3. MONOPOLY | $20 | 78.6% | $15.71 | 1 in 3.48 | 1 in 5.25 | 1 in 5.22 | $5,000,000 | 4 | +0.4 pts |
| 4. Golden State Riches | $20 | 78.5% | $15.70 | 1 in 2.89 | 1 in 4.07 | 1 in 8.91 | $5,000,000 | 6 | — |
| 5. 100X The Cash | $20 | 78.5% | $15.69 | 1 in 3.36 | 1 in 5.05 | 1 in 5.05 | $5,000,000 | 3 | — |
| 6. Show Me $5,000,000! | $20 | 78.4% | $15.69 | 1 in 3.33 | 1 in 5.00 | 1 in 5.01 | $5,000,000 | 2 | +0.4 pts |
| 7. $5,000,000 Superstar | $20 | 78.4% | $15.67 | 1 in 3.07 | 1 in 5.56 | 1 in 5.69 | $5,000,000 | 0 | — |
| 8. Instant Prize Crossword | $20 | 77.5% | $15.49 | 1 in 3.12 | 1 in 5.32 | 1 in 5.35 | $2,000,000 | 9 | +0.4 pts |
| 9. Instant Prize Crossword | $20 | 77.3% | $15.46 | 1 in 3.19 | 1 in 5.43 | 1 in 5.45 | $2,000,000 | 14 | — |
| 10. $100 or $200 Frenzy | $20 | 76.5% | $15.29 | 1 in 7.89 | 1 in 7.89 | 1 in 7.89 | $200 | 278,364 | — |
| 11. $5,000,000 Extreme Cash New | $20 | 76.4% | $15.28 | 1 in 3.08 | 1 in 3.08 | 1 in 6.15 | $5,000,000 | 4 | — |
| 12. $100 or $200 | $20 | 76.4% | $15.27 | 1 in 7.91 | 1 in 7.91 | 1 in 7.91 | $200 | 64,359 | -0.1 pts |
| 13. Cash King | $20 | 76.0% | $15.21 | 1 in 2.98 | 1 in 2.98 | 1 in 5.95 | $5,000,000 | 2 | +0.2 pts |
| 14. Red Carpet Riches | $20 | 75.6% | $15.13 | 1 in 3.19 | 1 in 5.43 | 1 in 5.45 | $2,000,000 | 5 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $20 California scratcher is best right now?
- 100X (#1696) at 80.8% current payout, about $16.15 back per ticket, as of September 12, 2026.
- Are $20 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $20 tier averages 77.7% current payout across 14 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.6%, $2 games average 67.1%, $3 games average 67.3%, $5 games average 70.0%, $10 games average 72.8%, $30 games average 79.1%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $20 games are on sale in California?
- 14 as of September 12, 2026. We only publish a price page when at least three games are active at that price.
- Do these numbers include free-ticket prizes?
- The payout and any-prize odds columns do. The cash-odds column excludes free tickets, and the profit-odds column counts only prizes larger than the $20 ticket price.