Best $3 California Scratchers (September 2026)
As of September 12, 2026, 4 $3 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 67.3% current payout. The best of them is 15X at 71.9% ($2.16 back per ticket, 1 in 3.08 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%, $5 games average 70.0%, $10 games average 72.8%, $20 games average 77.7%, $30 games average 79.1%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 6.4 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $3
15X
#168471.9% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.16
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.08
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.31
- Top prizes
- 2 of 37
Best payout - 2 $3
Tripling Bonus Crossword
#172066.0% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.98
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.25
- Beats price
- 1 in 4.11
- Top prizes
- 8 of 20
- 3 $3
LOTERIA™
#172965.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.97
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.74
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.01
- Top prizes
- 48 of 60
- 4 $3
Fireball Bingo
#171165.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.97
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.52
- Beats price
- 1 in 4.97
- Top prizes
- 26 of 50
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 4 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. 15X | $3 | 71.9% | $2.16 | 1 in 3.08 | 1 in 5.11 | 1 in 5.31 | $30,000 | 2 | +6.5 pts |
| 2. Tripling Bonus Crossword | $3 | 66.0% | $1.98 | 1 in 3.25 | 1 in 4.08 | 1 in 4.11 | $20,000 | 8 | — |
| 3. LOTERIA™ | $3 | 65.7% | $1.97 | 1 in 3.74 | 1 in 6.00 | 1 in 6.01 | $30,000 | 48 | — |
| 4. Fireball Bingo | $3 | 65.5% | $1.97 | 1 in 3.52 | 1 in 4.98 | 1 in 4.97 | $20,000 | 26 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 California scratcher is best right now?
- 15X (#1684) at 71.9% current payout, about $2.16 back per ticket, as of September 12, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $3 tier averages 67.3% current payout across 4 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.6%, $2 games average 67.1%, $5 games average 70.0%, $10 games average 72.8%, $20 games average 77.7%, $30 games average 79.1%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $3 games are on sale in California?
- 4 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 $3 ticket price.