Best $3 New York Scratch-Offs (September 2026)
As of September 9, 2026, 9 $3 scratch-offs are on sale in New York, averaging 63.2% 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: the more a ticket costs, the larger the share of its price the lottery returns in prizes. In New York today, $1 games average 67.2%, $2 games average 67.0%, $5 games average 69.5%, $10 games average 67.2%, $20 games average 72.1%, $30 games average 74.1%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 19.5 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!
#166269.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.09
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.12
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.17
- Top prizes
- 0 of 4
No top prize left - 3 $3
BONUS 15X CASHWORD
#164567.9% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.04
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.61
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.95
- Top prizes
- 0 of 4
No top prize left - 4 $3
30Xtra CASHWORD
#168764.1% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.92
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.89
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.32
- Top prizes
- 1 of 4
- 5 $3
LUCKY LINES
#161162.8% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.88
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.84
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.82
- Top prizes
- 4 of 21
- 6 $3
DIAMOND CASHWORD
#170262.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.88
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.07
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.40
- Top prizes
- 5 of 5
- 7 $3
MATCH 7s
#169660.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.81
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.15
- Beats price
- 1 in 6.92
- Top prizes
- 4 of 6
- 8 $3
WIN $60,000
#167359.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.78
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.08
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.31
- Top prizes
- 2 of 4
- 9 $3
MULTIPLY YOUR NUMBERS
#163151.5% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.54
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.76
- Beats price
- 1 in 8.95
- 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 9 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 | +6.6 pts |
| 2. CASHWORD EXTRA! | $3 | 69.6% | $2.09 | 1 in 3.12 | 1 in 3.12 | 1 in 7.17 | $60,000 | 0 | +5.3 pts |
| 3. BONUS 15X CASHWORD | $3 | 67.9% | $2.04 | 1 in 3.61 | 1 in 3.61 | 1 in 6.95 | $60,000 | 0 | +0.4 pts |
| 4. 30Xtra CASHWORD | $3 | 64.1% | $1.92 | 1 in 3.89 | 1 in 3.89 | 1 in 7.32 | $60,000 | 1 | — |
| 5. LUCKY LINES | $3 | 62.8% | $1.88 | 1 in 3.84 | 1 in 3.84 | 1 in 8.82 | $60,000 | 4 | +0.6 pts |
| 6. DIAMOND CASHWORD | $3 | 62.6% | $1.88 | 1 in 4.07 | 1 in 4.07 | 1 in 7.40 | $60,000 | 5 | — |
| 7. MATCH 7s | $3 | 60.2% | $1.81 | 1 in 4.15 | 1 in 4.15 | 1 in 6.92 | $70,000 | 4 | — |
| 8. WIN $60,000 | $3 | 59.4% | $1.78 | 1 in 4.08 | 1 in 4.08 | 1 in 7.31 | $60,000 | 2 | — |
| 9. MULTIPLY YOUR NUMBERS | $3 | 51.5% | $1.54 | 1 in 4.76 | 1 in 4.76 | 1 in 8.95 | $60,000 | 1 | -1.4 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 September 9, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in New York?
- The $3 tier averages 63.2% current payout across 9 active games. For comparison, $1 games average 67.2%, $2 games average 67.0%, $5 games average 69.5%, $10 games average 67.2%, $20 games average 72.1%, $30 games average 74.1%. 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?
- 9 as of September 9, 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.