Best $3 California Scratchers (October 2026)
As of October 25, 2026, 5 $3 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 66.9% current payout. The best of them is 15X (#1684) at 71.4% ($2.14 back per ticket, 1 in 3.09 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, $1 games average 68.1%, $2 games average 66.6%, $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 $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 6.2 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $3
15X (#1684)
#168471.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.14
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.09
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.34
- Top prizes
- 2 of 37
Best payout - 2 $3
Tripling Bonus Crossword (#1720)
#172066.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.00
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.19
- Beats price
- 1 in 4.06
- Top prizes
- 6 of 20
- 3 $3
Fireball Bingo
#171165.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.97
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.51
- Beats price
- 1 in 4.95
- Top prizes
- 23 of 50
- 4 $3
15X (#1746)
#174665.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.96
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.79
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.11
- Top prizes
- 26 of 28
- 5 $3
LOTERIA™ (#1729)
#172965.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.96
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.76
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.06
- Top prizes
- 45 of 60
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 5 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 | 71.4% | $2.14 | 1 in 3.09 | 1 in 3.09 | 1 in 5.34 | $30,000 | 2 | 0.0 pts |
| 2. Tripling Bonus Crossword | $3 | 66.7% | $2.00 | 1 in 3.19 | 1 in 3.19 | 1 in 4.06 | $20,000 | 6 | +0.1 pts |
| 3. Fireball Bingo | $3 | 65.6% | $1.97 | 1 in 3.51 | 1 in 3.51 | 1 in 4.95 | $20,000 | 23 | 0.0 pts |
| 4. 15X | $3 | 65.4% | $1.96 | 1 in 3.79 | 1 in 3.79 | 1 in 6.11 | $30,000 | 26 | -0.2 pts |
| 5. LOTERIA™ | $3 | 65.2% | $1.96 | 1 in 3.76 | 1 in 3.76 | 1 in 6.06 | $30,000 | 45 | -0.1 pts |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 California scratcher is best right now?
- 15X (#1684) at 71.4% current payout, about $2.14 back per ticket, as of October 25, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $3 tier averages 66.9% current payout across 5 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 68.1%, $2 games average 66.6%, $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 $3 games are on sale in California?
- 5 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 $3 ticket price.