Best $3 Maryland Scratch-Offs (November 2026)
As of November 5, 2026, 5 $3 scratch-offs are on sale in Maryland, averaging 65.3% current payout. The best of them is Bonus Crossword (#784) at 69.0% ($2.07 back per ticket, 1 in 3.52 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 Maryland as of November 5, 2026, $1 games average 62.8%, $2 games average 64.6%, $5 games average 69.1%, $10 games average 73.8%, $20 games average 76.6%, $30 games average 79.5%, $50 games average 76.3%. That is a tendency, not a rule: within this $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 13.4 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $3
Bonus Crossword (#784)
#78469.0% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.07
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.52
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.59
- Top prizes
- 3 of 8
Best payout - 2 $3
Ms.PAC-MAN™
#79467.8% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.03
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.89
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.65
- Top prizes
- 4 of 6
- 3 $3
Peppermint Payout
#82267.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.03
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.96
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.45
- Top prizes
- 6 of 6
New - 4 $3
Diamond Bingo (#804)
#80466.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.00
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.82
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.14
- Top prizes
- 5 of 7
- 5 $3
SKEE-BALL®
#68755.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.67
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.48
- 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 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. Bonus Crossword | $3 | 69.0% | $2.07 | 1 in 3.52 | 1 in 3.52 | 1 in 6.59 | $30,000 | 3 | -0.3 pts |
| 2. Ms.PAC-MAN™ | $3 | 67.8% | $2.03 | 1 in 3.89 | 1 in 3.89 | 1 in 6.65 | $30,000 | 4 | 0.0 pts |
| 3. Peppermint Payout New | $3 | 67.7% | $2.03 | 1 in 3.96 | 1 in 3.96 | 1 in 7.45 | $30,000 | 6 | -0.1 pts |
| 4. Diamond Bingo | $3 | 66.6% | $2.00 | 1 in 3.82 | 1 in 3.82 | 1 in 6.14 | $30,000 | 5 | -0.2 pts |
| 5. SKEE-BALL® | $3 | 55.6% | $1.67 | 1 in 4.48 | 1 in 4.48 | 1 in 12.7 | $15,000 | 1 | +3.2 pts |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 Maryland scratch-off is best right now?
- Bonus Crossword (#784) at 69.0% current payout, about $2.07 back per ticket, as of November 5, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in Maryland?
- The $3 tier averages 65.3% current payout across 5 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 62.8%, $2 games average 64.6%, $5 games average 69.1%, $10 games average 73.8%, $20 games average 76.6%, $30 games average 79.5%, $50 games average 76.3%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $3 games are on sale in Maryland?
- 5 as of November 5, 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.