Best $1 California Scratchers (October 2026)
As of October 25, 2026, 3 $1 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 68.1% current payout. The best of them is Rockin' Riches at 71.4% ($0.71 back per ticket, 1 in 3.61 for any prize).
Price is the strongest predictor of payout on a scratcher: across a lottery's games, pricier tickets tend to return a larger share of their price in prizes. In California as of October 25, 2026, $2 games average 66.6%, $3 games average 66.9%, $5 games average 70.1%, $10 games average 73.6%, $20 games average 77.6%, $30 games average 78.0%. That is a tendency, not a rule: within this $1 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 6.0 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $1
Rockin' Riches
#172771.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.71
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.61
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.03
- Top prizes
- 16 of 105
Best payout - 2 $1
Straight 8's
#167467.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.19
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.37
- Top prizes
- 22 of 90
- 3 $1
Festive Wishes
#175065.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $0.65
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.32
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.16
- Top prizes
- 85 of 85
New
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. Rockin' Riches | $1 | 71.4% | $0.71 | 1 in 3.61 | 1 in 3.61 | 1 in 7.03 | $5,000 | 16 | +0.7 pts |
| 2. Straight 8's | $1 | 67.3% | $0.67 | 1 in 4.19 | 1 in 4.19 | 1 in 8.37 | $888 | 22 | -0.1 pts |
| 3. Festive Wishes New | $1 | 65.5% | $0.65 | 1 in 4.32 | 1 in 4.32 | 1 in 8.16 | $5,000 | 85 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $1 California scratcher is best right now?
- Rockin' Riches (#1727) at 71.4% current payout, about $0.71 back per ticket, as of October 25, 2026.
- Are $1 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $1 tier averages 68.1% current payout across 3 active games. For comparison, $2 games average 66.6%, $3 games average 66.9%, $5 games average 70.1%, $10 games average 73.6%, $20 games average 77.6%, $30 games average 78.0%. 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 October 25, 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.