$100,000 is the most common scratch-off top prize in America
If you picked a scratch-off at random from every state lottery shelf in the country, its top prize would most likely be $100,000. That amount tops 302 of the 2,852 games on sale in our data as of the second week of October 2026, in 40 different lotteries. $1 million is next, with 252 games in 34 lotteries.
| Top prize | Games | Lotteries | Average ticket price |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | 302 | 40 | $8.40 |
| $1,000,000 | 252 | 34 | $17.20 |
| $50,000 | 224 | 38 | $5.10 |
| $500,000 | 186 | 31 | $13.10 |
| $500 | 136 | 41 | $6.90 |
| $30,000 | 133 | 28 | $3.50 |
| $20,000 | 132 | 30 | $3.10 |
| $200,000 | 120 | 28 | $9.30 |
| $10,000 | 119 | 36 | $3.60 |
| $2,000,000 | 91 | 23 | $21.40 |
$500 is the most widespread top prize of all. It's the top on 136 games in 41 lotteries, one more lottery than $100,000, most of them cheap tickets or "$500" themed games that pay many small-to-mid prizes. The favorite top prize also changes with price. It's $5,000 at $1, $20,000 at $2, $30,000 at $3, $100,000 at $5 and $10, and $1 million at $20, $30, and $50.
Some lotteries pick amounts for the look of them. Nine games top out at $77,777, in Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, and Montana. Four reach $777,777, and four more, including D.C.'s new Emerald 8s, stop at $8,888.
The largest top prize on sale is $25 million, on $50 games in Florida and Massachusetts, such as Florida's 500X The Cash. Michigan sells the most games with a $1 million top, 24, ahead of Florida's 21 and Texas' 19. Many of the biggest amounts are paid over 20 or 30 years, and the cash option can be about half.
How we did this. We took the highest cash prize tier of each active state lottery scratch-off in our database on October 7, 2026, skipping free tickets, for 2,852 games in 44 lotteries. A few lotteries list some annuity top prizes at their cash value, so a small number of games may appear under a lower amount than the ticket advertises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common scratch-off top prize?
$100,000, the top prize on 302 of the 2,852 state lottery scratch-offs on sale in our data as of October 7, 2026. $1 million is second with 252 games, followed by $50,000 with 224 and $500,000 with 186.
What is the biggest scratch-off top prize right now?
$25 million, on $50 games in Florida and Massachusetts, including Florida's 500X The Cash and Massachusetts' $25,000,000 Mega Money. Some large top prizes are paid over time, and the cash option is smaller.
Which state sells the most scratch-offs with a $1 million top prize?
Michigan, with 24 of its 108 games on sale topping out at exactly $1 million. Florida has 21 and Texas 19, according to our data as of October 7, 2026.
Phil Nageotte is a writer covering scratch-off odds, expected value, prize data, and more. He joined ScratchCheck in 2026 after years of tracking lottery payouts in spreadsheets of his own.
