Best $1 California Scratchers (September 2026)
As of September 9, 2026, 3 $1 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 67.4% current payout. The best of them is Straight 8's at 67.5% ($0.67 back per ticket, 1 in 4.19 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, $2 games average 67.1%, $3 games average 67.2%, $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 $1 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 0.1 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $1
Straight 8's
#167467.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.19
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.35
- Top prizes
- 22 of 90
Best payout - 2 $1
The Lucky Spot!
#155567.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.17
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.72
- Top prizes
- 27 of 125
- 3 $1
Rockin' Riches
#172767.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.03
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.75
- Top prizes
- 43 of 105
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 3 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Straight 8's | $1 | 67.5% | $0.67 | 1 in 4.19 | 1 in 8.18 | 1 in 8.35 | $888 | 22 | +4.0 pts |
| 2. The Lucky Spot! | $1 | 67.4% | $0.67 | 1 in 4.17 | 1 in 7.55 | 1 in 7.72 | $1,000 | 27 | +0.4 pts |
| 3. Rockin' Riches | $1 | 67.3% | $0.67 | 1 in 4.03 | 1 in 7.68 | 1 in 7.75 | $5,000 | 43 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $1 California scratcher is best right now?
- Straight 8's (#1674) at 67.5% current payout, about $0.67 back per ticket, as of September 9, 2026.
- Are $1 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $1 tier averages 67.4% current payout across 3 active games. For comparison, $2 games average 67.1%, $3 games average 67.2%, $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 $1 games are on sale in California?
- 3 as of September 9, 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 $1 ticket price.