Best $3 New York Scratch-Offs (October 2026)
As of October 25, 2026, 8 $3 scratch-offs are on sale in New York, averaging 63.5% current payout. The best of them is UNLOCK IT! at 71.0% ($2.13 back per ticket, 1 in 3.35 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 New York as of October 25, 2026, $1 games average 67.5%, $2 games average 66.7%, $5 games average 68.7%, $10 games average 67.2%, $20 games average 72.4%, $30 games average 73.4%. That is a tendency, not a rule: within this $3 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 $3
UNLOCK IT!
#165671.0% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.13
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.35
- Beats price
- 1 in 5.98
- Top prizes
- 0 of 4
Best payout No top prize left - 2 $3
CASHWORD EXTRA!
#166269.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.09
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.12
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.19
- Top prizes
- 0 of 4
Figures uncertain No top prize left - 3 $3
WIN $60,000
#167365.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.97
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.62
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.52
- Top prizes
- 1 of 4
- 4 $3
30Xtra CASHWORD
#168764.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.93
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.82
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.31
- Top prizes
- 1 of 4
- 5 $3
LUCKY LINES
#161163.3% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.90
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.83
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.84
- Top prizes
- 4 of 21
- 6 $3
DIAMOND CASHWORD
#170263.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.90
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.01
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.33
- Top prizes
- 4 of 5
- 7 $3
MATCH 7s
#169659.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.79
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.17
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.97
- Top prizes
- 3 of 6
- 8 $3
MULTIPLY YOUR NUMBERS
#163151.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.54
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.77
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.96
- Top prizes
- 1 of 4
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 8 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. UNLOCK IT! | $3 | 71.0% | $2.13 | 1 in 3.35 | 1 in 3.35 | 1 in 5.98 | $60,000 | 0 | 0.0 pts |
| 2. CASHWORD EXTRA! | $3 | 69.5%? | $2.09 | 1 in 3.12 | 1 in 3.12 | 1 in 7.19 | $60,000 | 0 | 0.0 pts |
| 3. WIN $60,000 | $3 | 65.7% | $1.97 | 1 in 3.62 | 1 in 3.62 | 1 in 6.52 | $60,000 | 1 | +0.1 pts |
| 4. 30Xtra CASHWORD | $3 | 64.4% | $1.93 | 1 in 3.82 | 1 in 3.82 | 1 in 7.31 | $60,000 | 1 | -0.1 pts |
| 5. LUCKY LINES | $3 | 63.3% | $1.90 | 1 in 3.83 | 1 in 3.83 | 1 in 8.84 | $60,000 | 4 | 0.0 pts |
| 6. DIAMOND CASHWORD | $3 | 63.2% | $1.90 | 1 in 4.01 | 1 in 4.01 | 1 in 7.33 | $60,000 | 4 | -0.2 pts |
| 7. MATCH 7s | $3 | 59.6% | $1.79 | 1 in 4.17 | 1 in 4.17 | 1 in 6.97 | $70,000 | 3 | -0.2 pts |
| 8. MULTIPLY YOUR NUMBERS | $3 | 51.4% | $1.54 | 1 in 4.77 | 1 in 4.77 | 1 in 8.96 | $60,000 | 1 | 0.0 pts |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 New York scratch-off is best right now?
- UNLOCK IT! (#1656) at 71.0% current payout, about $2.13 back per ticket, as of October 25, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in New York?
- The $3 tier averages 63.5% current payout across 8 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.5%, $2 games average 66.7%, $5 games average 68.7%, $10 games average 67.2%, $20 games average 72.4%, $30 games average 73.4%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $3 games are on sale in New York?
- 8 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 $3 ticket price.