North Carolina scratch-offs return 60.6% back to players at $1 and 81.5% at $50
North Carolina sells 79 active scratch-offs at eight prices, from $1 to $50, and the share of sales each price returns to players as prizes rises at almost increase in ticket price. Figures are as of the third week of September 2026.
| Price | Games | Average payout | Range | Average overall odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | 5 | 60.6% | 60.4% to 60.8% | 1 in 4.86 |
| $2 | 10 | 66.3% | 66.3% | 1 in 4.64 |
| $3 | 1 | 66.3% | 66.3% | 1 in 3.99 |
| $5 | 21 | 69.1% | 68.9% to 71.0% | 1 in 4.27 |
| $10 | 16 | 74.5% | 72.3% to 75.8% | 1 in 4.55 |
| $20 | 13 | 76.5% | 74.7% to 77.6% | 1 in 4.13 |
| $30 | 10 | 79.9% | 77.9% to 81.5% | 1 in 4.03 |
| $50 | 3 | 81.5% | 80.0% to 82.4% | 1 in 5.24 |
The steepest climbs come near the bottom, 5.7 points from $1 to $2 and 5.4 points from $5 to $10. The lottery holds payouts tight within each tier, too. All ten $2 games pay 66.3%, and the five $1 games sit within half a point of each other.
The odds column runs almost backward. The $50 games have the longest overall odds in the state, 1 in 5.24, and still return the most. Overall odds count how often a ticket wins anything, not how much, which is why they make a poor guide to value.
The top-rated game at each price
| Price | Game | ValueScore™ | Payout | Top prize | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | Hit $50! | 35.3 | 60.4% | $5,000 | 24% |
| $2 | $20,000 Taxes Paid | 43.9 | 66.3% | $27,774 | 20% |
| $3 | LOTERIA | 20.1 | 66.3% | $75,000 | 92% |
| $5 | Loteria Grande | 58.3 | 68.9% | $150,000 | 17% |
| $10 | 50X The Cash | 71.0 | 74.8% | $1,000,000 | 26% |
| $20 | $2,000,000 Taxes Paid | 77.3 | 74.7% | $2,777,392 | 12% |
| $30 | 200X The Cash | 81.3 | 80.4% | $5,000,000 | 48% |
| $50 | 500X The Cash | 90.3 | 82.4% | $10,000,000 | 28% |
500X The Cash rates highest of all active games in the state and pays the most of any. The $3 slot is thin, with a single game, and that LOTERIA ticket is 92% sold, so its low score mostly reflects how few prizes are left.
Two of the leaders are from the "Taxes Paid" series that launched September 1. Their odd-looking top prizes, $27,774 and $2,777,392, are the advertised $20,000 and $2 million grossed up by 38.87% to cover withholding. The $20 version leads its price even though its payout, 74.7%, is the lowest of the 13 $20 games, because nearly all of its prizes are still out there. The state's newest games and the ones holding the most unclaimed top prizes are tracked separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which North Carolina scratch-offs pay back the most?
The $50 games, which return 81.5% of sales on average. 500X The Cash, a $50 ticket with a $10 million top prize, pays 82.4% and is the top-rated game in the state. At $1 the average is 60.6%.
Do more expensive NC scratch-offs have better odds?
Not the overall odds. The $50 games average 1 in 5.24, the longest of any price in North Carolina, while $3 games average 1 in 3.99. The expensive tickets win less often but pay back far more when they do.
What is the best $10 scratch-off in North Carolina?
50X The Cash rates highest among the 16 active $10 games, at 71.0 on our ValueScore, with a 74.8% payout and a $1 million top prize. About 26% of its tickets had sold as of September 23, 2026.
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.
