Best $5 Scratchers in North Carolina Right Now
Every active $5 North Carolina scratch‑off, ranked by real value from the prizes still remaining — not the launch odds printed on the ticket. Tap any game for its full prize breakdown.
Updated November 5, 2026.
| # | Game | Price | Return | Typical (95th) | Any‑prize odds | Profit odds | % left | Top prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NC State® | $5 | 70% | 35.2% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 60.6% | $200,000 |
| 2 | Tar Heels® | $5 | 70.4% | 35.1% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 53.8% | $200,000 |
| 3 | Loteria Grande | $5 | 68.2% | 35.8% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 72.7% | $150,000 |
| 4 | Jungle Cashword | $5 | 67.2% | 35.1% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 45.6% | $150,000 |
| 5 | Holiday Gold Gift | $5 | 69% | 32.7% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 96.6% | $150,000 |
| 6 | CASH | $5 | 70.8% | 31.9% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 6 | 54.0% | $200,000 |
| 7 | Double Your Money | $5 | 62.8% | 32.5% | 1 in 5 | 1 in 5 | 9.8% | $200,000 |
| 8 | $200,000 Taxes Paid | $5 | 68.8% | 32.4% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 57.0% | $277,740 |
| 9 | Wheel of Fortune | $5 | 69% | 33% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 52.7% | $200,000 |
| 10 | Prize Link Connect | $5 | 68.2% | 29.1% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 61.7% | $200,000 |
| 11 | Diamonds and Dollars | $5 | 69.4% | 30.9% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 25.9% | $200,000 |
| 12 | $5 MONOPOLY® | $5 | 68.4% | 29% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 35.1% | $200,000 |
| 13 | LOTERIA® Fiesta | $5 | 64.4% | 32.8% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 10.7% | $150,000 |
| 14 | High Voltage Cash | $5 | 66.8% | 29.8% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 29.5% | $200,000 |
| 15 | 20X The Cash | $5 | 69% | 26.9% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 69.7% | $250,000 |
| 16 | $500 Frenzy | $5 | 67% | 27.1% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 34.4% | $500 |
| 17 | $200,000 Triple Play | $5 | 65.8% | 27.6% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 28.8% | $200,000 |
| 18 | 5 Times Lucky | $5 | 70% | 28.6% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 7.7% | $200,000 |
| 19 | Xtreme Cashword | $5 | 62.8% | 30.6% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 7 | 11.5% | $150,000 |
| 20 | Mega Bucks | $5 | 67% | 25.8% | 1 in 5 | 1 in 7 | 40.5% | $200,000 |
| 21 | Cash King | $5 | 66.8% | 28.6% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 8 | 16.3% | $200,000 |
| 22 | $400,000 Jackpot | $5 | 72% | 25.9% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 8 | 14.3% | $400,000 |
| 23 | 20X The Cash | $5 | 67% | 26.1% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 8 | 23.5% | $250,000 |
| 24 | MEGA BUCKS | $5 | 65% | 27.2% | 1 in 4 | 1 in 8 | 10.1% | $200,000 |
Other price points: best $1 scratchers · best $2 scratchers · best $10 scratchers · best $20 scratchers · best $30 scratchers · best $50 scratchers — or the full North Carolina ranking.
How we rank $5 scratchers
The ranking uses each game's current numbers, recomputed daily from the official North Carolina Lottery feed: the prizes still unclaimed, the real odds of winning anything today, and the share of the ticket price the remaining prize pool returns on average. "#1" means the best real value at this price point right now — it changes as prizes get claimed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best $5 scratcher in North Carolina right now?
NC State® currently ranks #1 among active $5 North Carolina scratch-offs, based on the current odds and prizes still remaining — about 70% of the ticket price returned on average.
Are $5 scratchers worth it in North Carolina?
Active $5 North Carolina games currently average about 67.7% return — the state's best-returning price point right now is $30 at about 81.9%. All scratchers return less than they cost on average; higher price points usually return a larger share.
How current is this ranking?
Updated daily from the official North Carolina Lottery feed; last updated November 5, 2026. Rankings use the prizes still remaining, not the launch odds printed on the ticket.
Data from the official state lottery feed, refreshed ~daily. All scratchers are negative expected value — these rankings find the least-bad, not a winning strategy. 18+. Please play responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1‑800‑GAMBLER.