Bits & Odds

Best $2 New Jersey Scratch-Offs (September 2026)

Data captured September 28, 2026 · 6 active $2 games

As of September 28, 2026, 6 $2 scratch-offs are on sale in New Jersey, averaging 67.0% current payout. The best of them is Big Money Spectacular at 78.1% ($1.56 back per ticket, 1 in 3.59 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 Jersey today, $3 games average 65.4%, $5 games average 67.7%, $10 games average 70.2%, $20 games average 72.9%, $30 games average 74.8%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $2 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 17.5 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.

  1. Big Money Spectacular

    #01964
    78.1% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.56
    Any prize
    1 in 3.59
    Beats price
    1 in 7.10
    Top prizes
    0 of 5
    Best payout No top prize left
  2. Money Mania

    #01983
    67.2% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.34
    Any prize
    1 in 4.26
    Beats price
    1 in 7.01
    Top prizes
    1 of 3
  3. Sapphire 7's

    #01988
    66.8% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.34
    Any prize
    1 in 4.53
    Beats price
    1 in 6.89
    Top prizes
    3 of 4
    New
  4. Big Money Spectacular

    #01979
    65.3% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.31
    Any prize
    1 in 4.80
    Beats price
    1 in 8.91
    Top prizes
    5 of 5
  5. It Takes 2

    #01851
    63.9% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.28
    Any prize
    1 in 4.50
    Beats price
    1 in 8.28
    Top prizes
    3 of 6
  6. Birthday Surprise

    #01904
    60.6% payout now
    EV / ticket
    $1.21
    Any prize
    1 in 4.81
    Beats price
    1 in 8.65
    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
$2 New Jersey Scratch-Offs
# Game Price Payout now EV / ticket Any-prize odds Cash odds Profit odds Top prize Top left 7-day
1. Big Money Spectacular #01964 $2 78.1% $1.56 1 in 3.59 1 in 4.67 1 in 7.10 $30,000 0 +0.3 pts
2. Money Mania #01983 $2 67.2% $1.34 1 in 4.26 1 in 6.94 1 in 7.01 $10,000 1 -0.1 pts
3. Sapphire 7's #01988 New $2 66.8% $1.34 1 in 4.53 1 in 6.87 1 in 6.89 $20,000 3 +0.8 pts
4. Big Money Spectacular #01979 $2 65.3% $1.31 1 in 4.80 1 in 6.31 1 in 8.91 $30,000 5 -0.2 pts
5. It Takes 2 #01851 $2 63.9% $1.28 1 in 4.50 1 in 8.27 1 in 8.28 $10,000 3 -0.1 pts
6. Birthday Surprise #01904 $2 60.6% $1.21 1 in 4.81 1 in 8.71 1 in 8.65 $10,000 2 -0.4 pts

Frequently asked questions

Which $2 New Jersey scratch-off is best right now?
Big Money Spectacular (#01964) at 78.1% current payout, about $1.56 back per ticket, as of September 28, 2026.
Are $2 tickets better value than other prices in New Jersey?
The $2 tier averages 67.0% current payout across 6 active games. For comparison, $3 games average 65.4%, $5 games average 67.7%, $10 games average 70.2%, $20 games average 72.9%, $30 games average 74.8%. 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 September 28, 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.

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