Best $3 Maryland Scratch-Offs (September 2026)
As of September 20, 2026, 4 $3 scratch-offs are on sale in Maryland, averaging 65.1% current payout. The best of them is Bonus Crossword at 69.2% ($2.08 back per ticket, 1 in 3.51 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 Maryland today, $1 games average 62.7%, $2 games average 65.2%, $5 games average 67.3%, $10 games average 74.4%, $20 games average 76.6%, $30 games average 79.4%, $50 games average 77.2%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 14.0 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $3
Bonus Crossword
#78469.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.08
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.51
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.54
- Top prizes
- 3 of 8
Best payout - 2 $3
Ms.PAC-MAN™
#79468.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.05
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.86
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.60
- Top prizes
- 4 of 6
- 3 $3
Diamond Bingo
#80467.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.03
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.74
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.00
- Top prizes
- 5 of 7
- 4 $3
SKEE-BALL®
#68755.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.66
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.57
- Beats price
- 1 in 12.7
- Top prizes
- 1 of 8
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 4 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bonus Crossword | $3 | 69.2% | $2.08 | 1 in 3.51 | 1 in 3.51 | 1 in 6.54 | $30,000 | 3 | — |
| 2. Ms.PAC-MAN™ | $3 | 68.3% | $2.05 | 1 in 3.86 | 1 in 3.86 | 1 in 6.60 | $30,000 | 4 | — |
| 3. Diamond Bingo | $3 | 67.7% | $2.03 | 1 in 3.74 | 1 in 3.74 | 1 in 6.00 | $30,000 | 5 | — |
| 4. SKEE-BALL® | $3 | 55.2% | $1.66 | 1 in 4.57 | 1 in 4.57 | 1 in 12.7 | $15,000 | 1 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 Maryland scratch-off is best right now?
- Bonus Crossword (#784) at 69.2% current payout, about $2.08 back per ticket, as of September 20, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in Maryland?
- The $3 tier averages 65.1% current payout across 4 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 62.7%, $2 games average 65.2%, $5 games average 67.3%, $10 games average 74.4%, $20 games average 76.6%, $30 games average 79.4%, $50 games average 77.2%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $3 games are on sale in Maryland?
- 4 as of September 20, 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.