Best $40 California Scratchers (September 2026)
As of September 21, 2026, 3 $40 scratchers are on sale in California, averaging 80.5% current payout. The best of them is $1 Million California Cash at 81.2% ($32.46 back per ticket, 1 in 2.34 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 67.8%, $2 games average 67.2%, $3 games average 67.0%, $5 games average 70.1%, $10 games average 73.0%, $20 games average 77.5%, $30 games average 78.8%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $40 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 1.8 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $40
$1 Million California Cash
#174981.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $32.46
- Any prize
- 1 in 2.34
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.73
- Top prizes
- 40 of 40
Best payout New - 2 $40
Royal Jackpot
#171880.9% payout now- EV / ticket
- $32.38
- Any prize
- 1 in 2.51
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.81
- Top prizes
- 3 of 5
- 3 $40
40 Years of Play!
#166079.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $31.72
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.08
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.38
- Top prizes
- 1 of 7
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. $1 Million California Cash New | $40 | 81.2% | $32.46 | 1 in 2.34 | 1 in 2.34 | 1 in 7.73 | $1,000,000 | 40 | — |
| 2. Royal Jackpot | $40 | 80.9% | $32.38 | 1 in 2.51 | 1 in 2.51 | 1 in 5.81 | $15,000,000 | 3 | +2.2 pts |
| 3. 40 Years of Play! | $40 | 79.3% | $31.72 | 1 in 3.08 | 1 in 3.08 | 1 in 7.38 | $15,000,000 | 1 | +0.2 pts |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $40 California scratcher is best right now?
- $1 Million California Cash (#1749) at 81.2% current payout, about $32.46 back per ticket, as of September 21, 2026.
- Are $40 tickets better value than other prices in California?
- The $40 tier averages 80.5% current payout across 3 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.8%, $2 games average 67.2%, $3 games average 67.0%, $5 games average 70.1%, $10 games average 73.0%, $20 games average 77.5%, $30 games average 78.8%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $40 games are on sale in California?
- 3 as of September 21, 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 $40 ticket price.