A $5 scratch-off returns 77.8% in Massachusetts and 60.9% in New Mexico
Two players buy a $5 scratch-off on the same afternoon, one in Boston and one in Albuquerque. The tickets both cost $5 and the games look alike. The share of sales each state returns as prizes differs by nearly 17 points. Figures cover active US scratch-off games in our database as of the third week of September 2026.
| $5 games | State | Games | Average payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest | Massachusetts | 34 | 77.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 73.5% | |
| Georgia | 49 | 73.1% | |
| Illinois | 15 | 72.2% | |
| National average | 731 | 69.3% | |
| Wisconsin | 14 | 63.0% | |
| Louisiana | 9 | 61.8% | |
| Lowest | New Mexico | 11 | 60.9% |
On $100 of $5 tickets, the Massachusetts average returns about $77.80 in prizes and the New Mexico average about $60.90. That is a difference of roughly $17 per $100 spent.
The gap is wider at $10 and $20
| Price | Best state | Worst state | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | Massachusetts 77.8% | New Mexico 60.9% | 16.9 points |
| $10 | Massachusetts 83.2% | Montana 61.2% | 22.0 points |
| $20 | Massachusetts 83.7% | Nebraska 63.7% | 20.0 points |
Massachusetts leads all three. A $10 ticket there returns more than a $20 ticket in most states, which inverts the usual advice that paying more gets you more back. That rule holds inside a state and breaks across state lines.
Where the rest of the dollar goes
Payout is a policy setting. Whatever a lottery does not return as prizes funds state programs, retailer commissions, and running the game, so a higher payout means a smaller transfer to the state per ticket sold. Pennsylvania's new games started paying about three points more after a 2025 law loosened its profit target, and its profit fell by $45 million in the same year.
What this means is that a mediocre game in a generous state can beat a good game in a stingy one, and that comparing a ticket against its own state shelf is the comparison that applies. Our rankings score each game against the state it is sold in for exactly that reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the same scratch-off price pay differently in different states?
Yes, by a lot. A $5 game returns an average of 77.8% of sales in Massachusetts and 60.9% in New Mexico, a gap of 16.9 points. At $10 the range runs from 83.2% in Massachusetts to 61.2% in Montana.
Which state has the best-paying $5 scratch-offs?
Massachusetts, at 77.8% across 34 active $5 games. Pennsylvania is second at 73.5% and Georgia third at 73.1%. The national average for a $5 game is 69.3%.
Why do payouts vary so much by state?
Each lottery sets its own prize payout targets, and the rest of the ticket price funds state programs, retailer commissions, and operations. A state that returns more to players keeps less per ticket, which is a policy choice rather than a feature of the game.
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.
