Bits & Odds

Best $2 California Scratchers (September 2026)

Data captured September 9, 2026 · 7 active $2 games

As of September 9, 2026, 7 $2 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 67.1% current payout. The best of them is 10X The Cash at 70.6% ($1.41 back per ticket, 1 in 3.60 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 67.4%, $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 $2 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 5.7 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.

  1. 10X The Cash

    #1719
    70.6% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.41
    Any prize
    1 in 3.60
    Beats price
    1 in 6.44
    Top prizes
    4 of 20
    Best payout
  2. Set for Life

    #1736
    70.2% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.40
    Any prize
    1 in 4.57
    Beats price
    1 in 8.31
    Top prizes
    2 of 2
  3. Dominoes

    #1723
    66.6% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.33
    Any prize
    1 in 4.01
    Beats price
    1 in 6.86
    Top prizes
    10 of 16
  4. MONOPOLY

    #1665
    66.3% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.33
    Any prize
    1 in 4.02
    Beats price
    1 in 6.88
    Top prizes
    15 of 28
  5. GOOOAAAL!

    #1728
    65.9% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.32
    Any prize
    1 in 4.01
    Beats price
    1 in 6.85
    Top prizes
    11 of 20
  6. Planetary Payout

    #1741
    65.1% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.30
    Any prize
    1 in 4.13
    Beats price
    1 in 7.00
    Top prizes
    20 of 20
    New
  7. Ca$h Doubler

    #1732
    64.9% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.30
    Any prize
    1 in 4.20
    Beats price
    1 in 7.44
    Top prizes
    9 of 15

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 7 games in a table
$2 California Scratchers
# Game Price Payout now EV / ticket Any-prize odds Cash odds Profit odds Top prize Top left 7-day
1. 10X The Cash #1719 $2 70.6% $1.41 1 in 3.60 1 in 6.35 1 in 6.44 $30,000 4
2. Set for Life #1736 $2 70.2% $1.40 1 in 4.57 1 in 8.32 1 in 8.31 $4,000 2
3. Dominoes #1723 $2 66.6% $1.33 1 in 4.01 1 in 6.84 1 in 6.86 $30,000 10
4. MONOPOLY #1665 $2 66.3% $1.33 1 in 4.02 1 in 6.86 1 in 6.88 $30,000 15 +0.4 pts
5. GOOOAAAL! #1728 $2 65.9% $1.32 1 in 4.01 1 in 6.82 1 in 6.85 $20,000 11
6. Planetary Payout #1741 New $2 65.1% $1.30 1 in 4.13 1 in 7.01 1 in 7.00 $20,000 20
7. Ca$h Doubler #1732 $2 64.9% $1.30 1 in 4.20 1 in 7.42 1 in 7.44 $20,000 9

Frequently asked questions

Which $2 California scratcher is best right now?
10X The Cash (#1719) at 70.6% current payout, about $1.41 back per ticket, as of September 9, 2026.
Are $2 tickets better value than other prices in California?
The $2 tier averages 67.1% current payout across 7 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.4%, $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 $2 games are on sale in California?
7 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 $2 ticket price.

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