Two $1 scratch-offs in America carry a million-dollar top prize
A $1 million top prize needs a big enough print run to pay for it. That is why prizes that large are common on $20 tickets and rare on $1 games. Figures cover active U.S. scratch-off games in our database as of September 16, 2026.
| Ticket price | Games with a $1M+ top prize | States |
|---|---|---|
| $1 | 2 | 1 |
| $2 | 4 | 3 |
| $5 | 55 | 8 |
| $10 | 128 | 16 |
| $20 | 174 | 25 |
| $25 | 9 | 6 |
The $1 million+ top prize tier jump from 4 games to 55 games between $2 and $5, and then to 174 games by $20. A top prize of this size is ordinary once a ticket costs enough to fund it.
The cheap ones are almost all annuities
Here is every active US game at $5 or less carrying a top prize of $1 million or more, sorted by price.
| Game | State | Price | Top prize | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decade of Dollars | Colorado | $1 | $1,200,000 | 60.0% |
| Monopoly | Colorado | $1 | $1,000,000 | 60.0% |
| Set for Life | California | $2 | $1,200,000 | 67.1% |
| Decade of Dollars | Colorado | $2 | $1,200,000 | 62.0% |
| Monopoly | Colorado | $2 | $1,000,000 | 62.0% |
| Win for Life | New York | $2 | $1,000,000 | 78.8% |
| $2,500 A Week For Life | Florida | $5 | $1,949,000 | 69.4% |
| Win For Life! | New Jersey | $5 | $1,769,800 | 68.6% |
| $10,000 a Month for Life | Pennsylvania | $5 | $1,600,000 | 73.9% |
Look at the names. Decade of Dollars, Set for Life, Win for Life, $2,500 A Week For Life, $10,000 a Month for Life. The cheap million-dollar prize is nearly always a stream of set payments, and the advertised total is the sum of those payments, not money handed over at once (lump sum). That gap is the subject of top prizes that are really annuities.
The payouts on those games run from 60.0% to 78.8%, and five of the nine sit under 70%. A headline prize does not make a ticket generous, the same finding as our look at big top prizes and payout from the other direction.
The plainest cash million-dollar tickets at the low end are $5 games without a "for life" structure, and there are a few, including Florida's 50X The Cash at 71.1%. Current standings are on our best value list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest scratch-off with a $1 million prize?
One dollar. Colorado sells two $1 games with top prizes of $1 million or more, Decade of Dollars at $1.2 million and Monopoly at $1 million. Both pay out over time rather than as a lump sum.
How many cheap scratch-offs have million-dollar top prizes?
Very few. Across active US games there are 2 at $1, 4 at $2, and 55 at $5. It becomes ordinary at $10 with 128 games and $20 with 174. The prize has to be funded by the print run, so a cheap ticket needs an enormous run to carry one.
Are cheap million-dollar scratch-off prizes paid in cash?
Usually not. The $1 and $2 games carrying them are annuity games with names like Decade of Dollars, Set for Life, and Win for Life. The advertised total is spread across years, and the cash value is lower.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
