MEGA Crossword — $5 California Scratcher #1717
MEGA Crossword (#1717) is a $5 California scratcher launched on February 16, 2026. As of September 9, 2026 it ranks #39 of 54 active games on current payout (68.7%, $3.43 expected back per ticket) and #8 of 11 $5 games, #36 on any-prize odds (1 in 3.80) and #25 on top-prize odds (1 in 1,276,827). Since launch the payout has fallen 0.2 points (68.9% at launch) and the any-prize odds have worsened 3.3% (1 in 3.68 at launch). 17 of 35 top prizes of $75,000 remain, and we estimate 21,706,065 tickets are still unsold (50.9% sold). That is below average for California; the California ranking lists show better payouts, including at $5.
Prizes remaining
Every prize level in MEGA Crossword, with the odds printed at launch, the odds today given what is left, and how much of each tier is still unclaimed. Across all tiers, 5,709,985 of 11,154,183 prizes (51.2%) are still out there.
| Prize | Odds at launch | Odds now | Total | Claimed | Remaining | % left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | 1 in 1,218,848 | 1 in 1,276,827 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 48.6% |
| $5,000 | 1 in 80,795 | 1 in 73,084 | 528 | 231 | 297 | 56.3% |
| $1,000 | 1 in 39,427 | 1 in 38,282 | 1,082 | 515 | 567 | 52.4% |
| $500 | 1 in 3,077 | 1 in 3,144 | 13,862 | 6,957 | 6,905 | 49.8% |
| $100 | 1 in 600.0 | 1 in 610.6 | 71,150 | 35,603 | 35,547 | 50.0% |
| $50 | 1 in 315.0 | 1 in 319.5 | 135,546 | 67,609 | 67,937 | 50.1% |
| $30 | 1 in 200.0 | 1 in 202.3 | 213,342 | 106,071 | 107,271 | 50.3% |
| $25 | 1 in 160.0 | 1 in 162.3 | 266,915 | 133,185 | 133,730 | 50.1% |
| $20 | 1 in 40.0 | 1 in 40.4 | 1,066,570 | 528,714 | 537,856 | 50.4% |
| $15 | 1 in 21.0 | 1 in 21.3 | 2,025,976 | 1,005,933 | 1,020,043 | 50.3% |
| $10 | 1 in 12.0 | 1 in 11.8 | 3,626,455 | 1,784,460 | 1,841,995 | 50.8% |
| Ticketfree ticket | 1 in 11.0 | 1 in 11.1 | 3,732,722 | 1,774,902 | 1,957,820 | 52.5% |
| All prizes | 1 in 3.68 | 1 in 3.80 | 11,154,183 | 5,444,198 | 5,709,985 | 51.2% |
How MEGA Crossword has moved
Recent claims of $1,000 and up
- September 9, 2026: 5 $1,000 prizes were claimed; 567 remain.
MEGA Crossword: common questions
- How many $75,000 prizes are left in MEGA Crossword?
- 17 of 35 as of September 9, 2026. The chance that a ticket bought today is a top-prize winner is about 1 in 1,276,827.
- What are the odds of winning anything on MEGA Crossword?
- 1 in 3.80 today, compared with 1 in 3.68 printed at launch. Cash-only odds are 1 in 5.79, and the odds of winning more than the $5 ticket price are 1 in 5.78.
- Is MEGA Crossword worth buying?
- Its current payout is 68.7% ($3.43 back per $5 ticket), rank #39 of 54 in California. The best $5 alternative today is LOTERIA™ Extra! (#1688, $5) at 75.0%. No scratcher has a positive expected value; this is about losing less over time.
- How many MEGA Crossword tickets are left?
- We estimate 21,706,065 of roughly 41,059,942 printed tickets are unsold (50.9% sold), derived from the prizes claimed at each tier and their published odds.
- When did MEGA Crossword launch and is it still on sale?
- It launched on February 16, 2026. It is still on sale.
Other $5 California scratchers
- LOTERIA™ Extra! — 75.0% payout, 1 in 2.97 any prize
- California Dreamin' — 72.5% payout, 1 in 3.93 any prize
- Winner Winner Chicken Dinner — 72.2% payout, 1 in 4.32 any prize
- JAWS — 72.0% payout, 1 in 3.76 any prize
- Poker Nights — 71.8% payout, 1 in 3.38 any prize