Best $2 New Jersey Scratch-Offs (October 2026)
As of October 25, 2026, 6 $2 scratch-offs are on sale in New Jersey, averaging 66.2% current payout. The best of them is Money Mania at 66.2% ($1.32 back per ticket, 1 in 4.29 for any prize). Big Money Spectacular (#01964) tops the list below at 79.4%, but its figures come from prize tiers that disagree about how many of its tickets are left, so we do not lead with it.
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 New Jersey as of October 25, 2026, $3 games average 65.5%, $5 games average 67.7%, $10 games average 70.2%, $20 games average 72.7%, $30 games average 75.7%. That is a tendency, not a rule: within this $2 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 19.6 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $2
Big Money Spectacular (#01964)
#0196479.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.59
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.49
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.96
- Top prizes
- 0 of 5
Figures uncertain No top prize left - 2 $2
Money Mania
#0198366.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.32
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.29
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.10
- Top prizes
- 1 of 3
- 3 $2
Big Money Spectacular (#01979)
#0197966.0% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.32
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.75
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.82
- Top prizes
- 5 of 5
- 4 $2
It Takes 2
#0185163.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.27
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.53
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.34
- Top prizes
- 3 of 6
- 5 $2
Sapphire 7's
#0198862.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.25
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.85
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.41
- Top prizes
- 3 of 4
- 6 $2
Birthday Surprise (#01904)
#0190459.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.19
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.84
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.76
- Top prizes
- 2 of 3
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 6 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Money Spectacular | $2 | 79.4%? | $1.59 | 1 in 3.49 | 1 in 4.54 | 1 in 6.96 | $30,000 | 0 | -0.2 pts |
| 2. Money Mania | $2 | 66.2% | $1.32 | 1 in 4.29 | 1 in 7.04 | 1 in 7.10 | $10,000 | 1 | -0.9 pts |
| 3. Big Money Spectacular | $2 | 66.0% | $1.32 | 1 in 4.75 | 1 in 6.23 | 1 in 8.82 | $30,000 | 5 | +0.2 pts |
| 4. It Takes 2 | $2 | 63.5% | $1.27 | 1 in 4.53 | 1 in 8.33 | 1 in 8.34 | $10,000 | 3 | -0.1 pts |
| 5. Sapphire 7's | $2 | 62.3% | $1.25 | 1 in 4.85 | 1 in 7.43 | 1 in 7.41 | $20,000 | 3 | -1.0 pts |
| 6. Birthday Surprise | $2 | 59.7% | $1.19 | 1 in 4.84 | 1 in 8.81 | 1 in 8.76 | $10,000 | 2 | -0.5 pts |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $2 New Jersey scratch-off is best right now?
- Money Mania (#01983) at 66.2% current payout, about $1.32 back per ticket, as of October 25, 2026.
- Are $2 tickets better value than other prices in New Jersey?
- The $2 tier averages 66.2% current payout across 6 active games. For comparison, $3 games average 65.5%, $5 games average 67.7%, $10 games average 70.2%, $20 games average 72.7%, $30 games average 75.7%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $2 games are on sale in New Jersey?
- 6 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 $2 ticket price.