Illinois Scratchers Report — June 2026: Best Games, Trends & Strategies
June marked a significant shift in Illinois’ scratch-off landscape: Cash is King — the state’s legendary positive-ROI game — is gone. After over two years on shelves (120+ weeks), its final $1.8 million top prize was claimed, ending the longest profitable run we’ve tracked in any state. Illinois now has zero positive-ROI games, joining the majority of states where every active ticket returns less than face value on average. The silver lining: Millionaire Club at -17.4% ROI leads a strong $20–$50 tier, and the Illinois Lottery launched four new Crossword games to refresh the lineup.
Data period: June 1–30, 2026 · 53 active games analyzed · Updated from official Illinois Lottery data
At a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Games | 53 |
| Estimated Total Prizes Claimed | $102.9 Million |
| Average Daily Prize Activity | $3.4 Million/day |
| Positive ROI Games | 0 (down from 1 in May) |
| Average ROI (All Games) | -27.0% |
| Best Game | Millionaire Club ($50) at -17.4% ROI |
| Games to Avoid (All Top Prizes Gone) | 5 games |
| New Releases | 4 Crossword games |
Key Takeaway: Without Cash is King, Illinois still ranks among the better states for scratch-off value. The -27.0% average ROI remains competitive nationally, and the $20–$50 tier offers 6 games better than -20% ROI. Check our live Illinois rankings for the latest data.
Top 10 Best Value Games
These Illinois scratch-off games currently offer the highest Return on Investment (ROI) — meaning they return the most money per dollar spent based on remaining prizes.
| # | Game | Price | ROI | EV | Top Prize | Top Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millionaire Club | $50 | -17.4% | $41.32 | $600,000 | 28 |
| 2 | $2,000,000 Celebration | $20 | -18.4% | $16.33 | $1,200,000 | 1 |
| 3 | $10,000,000 Bankroll | $50 | -18.5% | $40.77 | $6,000,000 | 1 |
| 4 | Double the Luck | $20 | -19.0% | $16.21 | $1,800,000 | 3 |
| 5 | $1,000,000 Holiday Gold | $30 | -19.0% | $24.31 | $1,800,000 | 2 |
| 6 | $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er | $10 | -19.0% | $8.10 | $600,000 | 1 |
| 7 | Maximum Money Blowout | $20 | -19.5% | $16.10 | $2,000 | 123 |
| 8 | Blowout X | $30 | -20.2% | $23.95 | $3,000 | 1,168 |
| 9 | 200X the Cash | $30 | -20.3% | $23.91 | $1,800,000 | 1 |
| 10 | $3 Million Vault | $20 | -20.4% | $15.93 | $1,800,000 | 3 |
Why Millionaire Club Takes the #1 Spot
With Cash is King gone, Millionaire Club ($50) takes over as Illinois’ best-value game at -17.4% ROI. What makes it interesting: it still has 28 top prizes remaining at $600,000 each. That’s an unusually large prize pool for a $50 ticket — most games at this price point are down to single digits by week 62. The high remaining prize count means the game’s value is relatively stable and unlikely to drop sharply from a single claim event.
The #2 and #3 spots — $2,000,000 Celebration and $10,000,000 Bankroll — are both on their last top prize. They offer higher upside per ticket but carry the risk that their value could plummet any day. If you want consistency over jackpot-chasing, Millionaire Club is the safer play.
The End of Cash is King
Cash is King deserves a special mention this month. Running since early 2024, it spent over 120 weeks as Illinois’ only positive-ROI game, peaking at +6.9% ROI in May. Its $1.8 million final top prize was claimed in June, dropping it from the active lineup entirely.
What this means for players: Illinois no longer has any game where you’re mathematically expected to come out ahead. Every ticket now carries a negative expected value. This is normal for most states — but Illinois had been exceptional in maintaining a positive-EV option for so long.
The lesson: Positive-ROI games don’t last forever. When you spot one on our Illinois live rankings, act sooner rather than later.
Games to Avoid: All Top Prizes Claimed
These 5 games have had all of their top prizes claimed. Their expected value has dropped significantly, and they represent the worst value in the Illinois lineup right now.
| Game | Price | ROI | Original Top Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000,000 Cashfall | $20 | -30.3% | $1,200,000 |
| $250,000 Crossword | $10 | -31.1% | $250,000 |
| Ultimate Bonus Payout | $10 | -31.6% | $600,000 |
| Diamond Slingo | $3 | -35.0% | $80,000 |
| Triple Dynamite 777 | $2 | -38.5% | $25,000 |
The $250,000 Crossword is new to this list — it wasn’t here in May. Its top prizes were all claimed during June, which is expected for a $10 ticket with relatively modest top prizes. Compare these games’ ROI (-30% to -38%) with the top 10 (-17% to -20%) and you can see the impact of depleted prizes: a 10–20 percentage point difference in return.
For more on why this matters, see our guide: How ROI Changes Over a Game’s Lifetime.
Top Prize Watch List
These games have 3 or fewer top prizes remaining worth $100,000 or more. When these prizes are claimed, expect a measurable drop in the game’s expected value.
| Game | Price | Top Prize | Remaining | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000,000 Bankroll | $50 | $6,000,000 | 1 | -18.5% |
| Double the Luck | $20 | $1,800,000 | 3 | -19.0% |
| $1,000,000 Holiday Gold | $30 | $1,800,000 | 2 | -19.0% |
| 200X the Cash | $30 | $1,800,000 | 1 | -20.3% |
| $3 Million Vault | $20 | $1,800,000 | 3 | -20.4% |
| $2,000,000 Celebration | $20 | $1,200,000 | 1 | -18.4% |
| 100X Xtra | $20 | $1,200,000 | 2 | -21.4% |
| $2,000,000 Diamond Deluxe | $20 | $1,200,000 | 1 | -21.8% |
| $2,000,000 Maximum Multiplier | $20 | $1,200,000 | 1 | -22.4% |
| $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er | $10 | $600,000 | 1 | -19.0% |
10 games are down to 3 or fewer top prizes above $100K. The $10,000,000 Bankroll is the most dramatic — its single remaining $6,000,000 prize is the largest unclaimed top prize in Illinois. At 88 weeks old, it’s been running for nearly two years. If that prize gets claimed, expect the game’s ROI to drop several points.
$2,000,000 Celebration at #2 in our value rankings is also down to its last $1.2M prize — it could slip significantly at any time.
New Releases This Month
Illinois launched 4 new Crossword games in late June — a themed family release:
| Game | Price | ROI | Top Prize | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 Crossword 50X | $25 | -22.7% | $1,000,000 | 1 |
| $250,000 Crossword | $10 | -25.3% | $250,000 | 1 |
| $100,000 Crossword 2026 | $5 | -28.3% | $100,000 | 1 |
| Bonus Word Crossword | $3 | -30.9% | $50,000 | 1 |
The $1,000,000 Crossword 50X at $25 is the standout of the group at -22.7% ROI — that’s competitive for a brand-new game. Crossword games tend to have loyal followings and slightly better odds structures than instant-win games. The $250,000 Crossword at $10 is mid-pack, while the $5 and $3 offerings are below average for their price tiers.
All prizes are intact on these new releases — if you enjoy Crossword-style gameplay, these are fresh options with full prize pools.
Smart Strategy: Best Combos This Month
Our alternative strategy analysis finds combinations of cheaper tickets that deliver more expected value than a single expensive ticket at the same total cost.
Top Recommendation
At the $20 price point: Instead of buying many of the $20 tickets, buy 2× $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er ($10 each) for a combined EV of $16.20 — that’s +16.2% more expected value than the worst $20 games.
| Price Tier | Best Combo | Avg EV Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| $30 | 1× $2,000,000 Celebration ($20) + 1× $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er ($10) | +1.6% |
| $25 | 1× $2,000,000 Celebration ($20) + 1× Emerald 7s ($5) | +4.3% |
| $20 | 2× $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er ($10) | +4.9% |
| $10 | 2× Emerald 7s ($5) | +6.6% |
| $5 | 1× Lotería ($3) + 1× 10X Xtra ($2) | +2.0% |
| $3 | 1× 10X Xtra ($2) + 1× Emeralds ($1) | +4.2% |
| $2 | 2× Emeralds ($1) | +3.3% |
Without Cash is King in the mix, combo improvements are smaller than May (where the +6.9% ROI game powered massive combo advantages). The $10 tier still offers the best improvement at +6.6% — two $5 Emerald 7s tickets beat most single $10 games. The key insight remains: splitting your budget into cheaper, better-value tickets mathematically outperforms buying one expensive ticket in most cases.
Price Tier Breakdown
How does value distribute across Illinois price points?
| Price Tier | Games | Avg ROI | Best Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | 2 | -17.9% | Millionaire Club (-17.4%) |
| $30 | 3 | -19.8% | $1,000,000 Holiday Gold (-19.0%) |
| $25 | 2 | -23.0% | $1,000,000 Crossword 50X (-22.7%) |
| $20 | 8 | -21.6% | $2,000,000 Celebration (-18.4%) |
| $10 | 13 | -25.6% | $1,000,000 Ca$h Cha$er (-19.0%) |
| $5 | 13 | -28.6% | Emerald 7s (-25.2%) |
| $3 | 5 | -33.8% | Lotería (-30.1%) |
| $2 | 5 | -34.8% | 10X Xtra (-33.1%) |
| $1 | 2 | -34.8% | Emeralds (-33.8%) |
Best value tier: $50 (avg -17.9% ROI). The premium tier continues to offer the best mathematical return, followed closely by $30 (-19.8%) and $20 (-21.6%). There’s a sharp drop-off below $10 — the $1–$3 tier averages -34% ROI, nearly double the loss rate of premium tickets.
This pattern is consistent with what we see nationally: higher-priced tickets generally return a larger percentage because more of the ticket cost goes toward prizes rather than retailer commissions and lottery profit margins.
Monthly Trends
| Metric | June 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Est. Total Prizes Claimed | $102.9M | $113.0M | ↓ $10.1M |
| Average Daily Activity | $3.4M/day | $4.3M/day | ↓ $0.9M/day |
| Positive ROI Games | 0 | 1 | ↓ Cash is King gone |
| Average ROI | -27.0% | -27.1% | → Stable |
| Games with Top Prizes Gone | 5 | 5 | → Stable |
June was slightly quieter than May, with about $10M less in estimated total prize activity. The daily average dropped from $4.3M to $3.4M — likely reflecting the loss of Cash is King (which was one of the most actively played games due to its positive ROI attracting informed players) and seasonal patterns. The overall average ROI held steady at -27.0%, indicating the game mix hasn’t materially changed despite the new Crossword launches.
How to Use This Data
- Check live rankings before buying: Visit our Illinois Scratch-Off Rankings page for real-time data updated daily
- Focus on the $20–$50 tier: Games #1–#7 in our top 10 are all $20+ tickets with ROI better than -20%
- Watch the Top Prize Watch List: Games with 1 remaining top prize can drop in value overnight
- Try the combo strategy: Read our guide on why two cheaper tickets often beat one expensive one
Related Resources
- Illinois Scratch-Off Games — Live Rankings
- The Math of Scratchers: Odds vs. EV vs. ROI Explained
- Why 2× $5 Beats 1× $10
- National Scratchers Report — June 2026
- Illinois Scratchers Report — May 2026
- Our Methodology
- Do Scratch-Off Tickets Expire? (Illinois: 1 year from game end date)
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. All data is sourced from official state lottery websites and is updated regularly, but we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Lottery games are games of chance, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Please play responsibly and never spend more than you can afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
