Best $3 New Jersey Scratch-Offs (September 2026)
As of September 12, 2026, 4 $3 scratch-offs are on sale in New Jersey, averaging 65.0% current payout. The best of them is Crossword at 67.6% ($2.03 back per ticket, 1 in 3.75 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, $2 games average 65.5%, $5 games average 67.5%, $10 games average 69.9%, $20 games average 71.4%, $30 games average 72.8%. That is an average, not a rule: within this $3 tier the spread between the best and worst game is 4.2 payout points, which is why the table matters more than the tier.
- 1 $3
Crossword
#0195367.6% payout now- EV / ticket
- $2.03
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.75
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.30
- Top prizes
- 1 of 20
Best payout - 2 $3
LOTERIA
#0198264.7% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.94
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.10
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.50
- Top prizes
- 3 of 4
- 3 $3
Crossword
#0198064.2% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.92
- Any prize
- 1 in 4.95
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.55
- Top prizes
- 19 of 20
- 4 $3
LOTERIA
#0195263.4% payout now- EV / ticket
- $1.90
- Any prize
- 1 in 3.95
- Beats price
- 1 in 7.65
- 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 4 games in a table
| # Game | Price | Payout now | EV / ticket | Any-prize odds | Cash odds | Profit odds | Top prize | Top left | 7-day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Crossword | $3 | 67.6% | $2.03 | 1 in 3.75 | 1 in 3.75 | 1 in 7.30 | $20,000 | 1 | — |
| 2. LOTERIA | $3 | 64.7% | $1.94 | 1 in 4.10 | 1 in 4.10 | 1 in 7.50 | $30,000 | 3 | — |
| 3. Crossword | $3 | 64.2% | $1.92 | 1 in 4.95 | 1 in 4.95 | 1 in 7.55 | $20,000 | 19 | — |
| 4. LOTERIA | $3 | 63.4% | $1.90 | 1 in 3.95 | 1 in 3.95 | 1 in 7.65 | $30,000 | 1 | — |
Frequently asked questions
- Which $3 New Jersey scratch-off is best right now?
- Crossword (#01953) at 67.6% current payout, about $2.03 back per ticket, as of September 12, 2026.
- Are $3 tickets better value than other prices in New Jersey?
- The $3 tier averages 65.0% current payout across 4 active games. For comparison, $2 games average 65.5%, $5 games average 67.5%, $10 games average 69.9%, $20 games average 71.4%, $30 games average 72.8%. Higher-priced tickets usually return more per dollar but you win less often per ticket.
- How many $3 games are on sale in New Jersey?
- 4 as of September 12, 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.