With the mission freerolls could it not be an everyone wins flip freeroll for 1e each and then pay out the remainder of 1k as percentages to the top 9.
So say was 750 entries, 750x1e leaving 250, 100 for first, 50 for second etc etc.
That way everyone gets something and a lucky few get a nice win and it keeps the game at a set budget.
The 3k game could be a 4e ticket with the remainder between the top 9.
Or bring the old fun of the nearly everyone wins, where it pays out everyone but 10 people and then manually split the remaining prize money between them