Lowest-Value California
Scratch-Offs Right Now
As of , Scratch IQ surfaces the bottom 10 active California scratch-off games by current EV/Dollar — the "dead zone" tickets where the larger prizes have already been claimed.
A low EV/Dollar means the statistical return per $1 spent has fallen below typical launch-day payout percentages, usually because the headline jackpots have been claimed but tickets are still in circulation. See the methodology for the formula and per-state data sources.
Price
$2
EV/Dollar
$0.57
Top Prize
$20,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.57 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Headline top prize $20,000.
Price
$1
EV/Dollar
$0.58
Top Prize
$888
Current EV/Dollar of $0.58 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Top prizes depleting 60% faster than tickets overall.
Price
$3
EV/Dollar
$0.58
Top Prize
$20,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.58 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Headline top prize $20,000.
Price
$1
EV/Dollar
$0.59
Top Prize
$1,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.59 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Top prizes depleting 20% faster than tickets overall.
Price
$2
EV/Dollar
$0.59
Top Prize
$20,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.59 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Headline top prize $20,000.
Price
$1
EV/Dollar
$0.62
Top Prize
$888
Current EV/Dollar of $0.62 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Top prizes depleting 6% faster than tickets overall.
Price
$1
EV/Dollar
$0.62
Top Prize
$5,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.62 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Headline top prize $5,000.
Price
$3
EV/Dollar
$0.63
Top Prize
$30,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.63 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Top prizes depleting 15% faster than tickets overall.
Price
$3
EV/Dollar
$0.63
Top Prize
$30,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.63 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Headline top prize $30,000.
Price
$5
EV/Dollar
$0.64
Top Prize
$250,000
Current EV/Dollar of $0.64 per dollar spent — among the lowest in California. Top prizes depleting 63% faster than tickets overall.
Source: California Lottery
Common questions about California scratch-offs
What makes a California scratch-off a "dead zone"?
A dead-zone game has a low remaining EV/Dollar — typically below $0.50 — because the larger prizes have already been claimed even though tickets are still being sold. The published overall odds stay the same, but the expected return per $1 is now much lower than the launch-day payout percentage.
How often is the California dead-zone list updated?
Every day. Scratch IQ collects California Lottery remaining-prize data once daily and recomputes EV/Dollar for every active game. A game can move on or off this list as prize counts change or as it transitions to ended status when the California Lottery removes it from circulation.
Why has the lowest-ranked California game's EV dropped so low?
Once a game's top prizes have been claimed, the remaining tickets pay only smaller prizes, so the expected return per $1 spent falls. Some games stay in retail circulation for months after their headline prizes are gone, which is when EV/Dollar tends to trend toward the lower end of the range.
What is a healthy EV/Dollar baseline for California scratch-offs?
Most state lottery scratch-offs publish overall payout percentages in the $0.60–$0.75 per dollar range at launch. A current EV/Dollar at or above the launch payout is healthy; a current EV/Dollar well below the launch payout is the signal Scratch IQ surfaces here. The methodology page explains the formula and notes the per-game data published by calottery.com.
Scratch IQ is not affiliated with the California Lottery. Analytics are for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Play responsibly. 18+. See responsible gaming.