Did you know that the cost of a Minnesota Lottery scratch ticket determines the entire scratch game’s approximate overall payout? In Minnesota, scratch games pay out anywhere between 63 and 74 percent, depending on the ticket price.
Here’s a breakdown of scratch game payouts by price points:
$1 games – 63 percent
$2 games – 65 percent
$3 games – 66 percent
$5 games – 68 percent
$10 games – 70 percent
$20 games – 72 percent
$50 games – 74 percent
What does payout actually mean? A payout is the percentage of prizes that is expected to be paid out over the life of a game. For example, if $10 million in $5 Cash In A Flash Multiplier tickets is sold, players would win approximately $6.8 million in prizes (a 68 percent payout). Easy enough, right?
So, are scratch game payouts and odds the same thing? No. In fact, they are very different. Take for example two of our recent $5 scratch games: Cash In A Flash Multiplier and Holiday $500s. While the overall approximate prize payout of 68 percent is the same, the prize structure is completely different. The Cash In A Flash Multiplier scratch game awards four $100,000 top prizes whereas the Holiday $500s scratch game has 4,550 top prizes of $500.
A common misconception is that a scratch game with a lower top prize than some other games pays out less prize money, which is simply not true. The lottery still pays the same percentage amount in prizes—the prize money is redistributed to appeal to our diverse player base. The different percentages allow some people to play for the chance to win a substantial prize, and others better odds at a chance at a smaller prize.
The next time you’re wondering which game is right for you, head on over to the scratch games page to check out the prizes and odds chart for each scratch game.
Remember that every time you play the lottery, all Minnesotans win because lottery dollars support vital state services and important environmental projects in all 87 Minnesota counties.