There’s nothing quite like becoming an instant winner. That’s the theory behind lottery scratch cards that can be found in convenience stores, grocery stores, vending machines, and other shops around the world.
The gameplay behind these cards is simple – grab a coin or some other sharp object and start scratching. Symbols or cash amounts will be revealed, showing if your card is a winner or a loser.
There are numerous versions of these games – from tic tac toe to match and win to crosswords. There are even games based on classic board games and casino games, such as Monopoly, blackjack, and poker.
The fun and chance at winnings have now carried over to online casinos. Just as they might with a lottery scratch card, players can reveal various symbols and prize amounts with the chance at some major payouts.
Keep reading to learn more about online scratch cards.
History of Scratch Cards
Scratch cards have now surpassed five decades of fun – offering players the chance at winning some big bucks in the process. In 1974, American slot machine manufacturer Scientific Games became the first gaming company to produce an instant win lottery game.
The effort was led by computer scientist John Koza and the company’s retail promotions specialist Daniel Bower. Koza devised complex algorithms to securely and randomly create winning and losing tickets during the high-speed printing process.
The process solved security issues that doomed earlier attempts at creating instant-win games. A company called Astro-Med then patented these types of cards in 1987, but acknowledged that the idea had been used by other companies as well.
While lotteries had been popular for centuries, there was one problem when it came to gambling for instant gratification – players had to wait for a drawing to take place. This could be several days, and those looking for a quicker result were out of luck.
Scratch cards changed that. For the first time, players taking part in lottery-style gaming could see a result right away, similar to slot machines, and the instant-win lotto industry was born.
The games themselves are usually found on paper-based cards. The cards can also be manufactured from plastic and along with the game, a PIN or HRN (Hidden Recharge Number) to identify the exact game is also found on the card.
A Big Hit
The same year that Scientific Games found the breakthrough on instant-win lotto cards, the U.S. state of Massachusetts became the first gambling jurisdiction to give the new scratch cards the go-ahead. The Massachusetts Lottery’s first game cost $1 and sold out quickly. Scratch cards went on to almost double the lottery’s revenue.
“Stores were demanding extra tickets,” Koza told the New York Times. “The paperwork was overwhelming. We had to print more tickets, and then, of course, all the other states took notice because the sales were just spectacular.”
Almost every state now with a lottery also now offers scratch cards and Americans continue snapping them up.
“Adults there now spend – on average – $1,037 every year on lottery tickets – mostly scratch tickets,” National Public Radio noted of Americans’ love of these lotto cards.
The concert spread internationally as well. That includes in the UK, where punters can find numerous scratch cards for every taste, season, and prize level imaginable.
Scratch Cards Go Online
By 2000, over 30 billion lottery scratch cards had been sold around the world and prizes offered to players began to escalate. And as online gaming began growing beginning in the 1990s, carrying the scratch card phenomenon over to online casinos seemed inevitable.
Online cards began to become available in the early 2000s, not just from various state and countries’ lottery agencies, but also from online casino platforms themselves.
As with traditional scratch cards, the games feature symbols and prize amounts that players scratch virtually to hopefully reveal an instant win. The games follow a similar setup as paper scratch cards, with a certain number usually offered with random prizes available to winners. Like other parts of the gaming industry, scratch cards have seen some major advancements in recent years thanks to technological advances.
That includes a major shift to digital offerings. Online casinos generally use a random number generator to determine winning and losing scratches, By the 2000s, online scratch cards had really gained some traction and grown in popularity.
The UK Lottery Commission now offers players online scratch cards of values ranging from £1 and up with prizes of up to £1 million. Players can easily find a game online and will also find the odds of winning. For example, a “Millionaire 7s” ticket costs £5 and rewards a grand prize of £1 million. The odds of winning are 1 in 2.35. Like many slot machines, the game features lucky sevens rewarding players with some winnings.
Virtual Scratching
Numerous online gaming operators now offer scratch cards available online or through mobile gaming apps. That includes 888casino, which gives players numerous options.
Online casinos have only expanded the fun of instant win games with numerous themes and narratives available, similar to what players might find when spinning some reels on online slots. Just a few of those available at 888casino include Shark Bait, Irish Riches, Voyage of the Vikings, and Dr. Jackpot and Mr. Wild.
It’s easy to click on a game that might interest you and then virtually scratch the card – no real coin required. Like slot machines today’s online scratch cards may feature growing jackpot prizes that are only paid out when the top combination is found or when the jackpot is revealed.
Finding that perfect combination can unlock a payout that could reach tens of thousands of dollars. But what makes these games so popular? Here’s a quick look at what keeps players coming back to both paper and online scratch cards.
- Fun/entertainment – Scratching those cards can be a lot of fun as players have some spur-of-the-moment fun for a shot at some big winnings. Some people even throw some scratch cards in with Christmas and birthday gifts to friends and family.
- Ease of play – Scratching a card is simple and you don’t have to know the rules to more complex games, such as mastering craps strategy and blackjack strategy.
- Convenience – You don’t need to visit a brick and mortar casino to play. Scratch cards can be found in numerous locations, including online, so there’s no real commitment of having to visit a casino.
- Games for every bankroll – Most lottery agencies and online platforms offer games with several stakes ranges. Many start at around $1 with the chance at win multiples of your wager.
- Chance at large payouts – A few bucks is a small commitment to possibly win many multiples of the stakes wagered. That can be as high as $1 million in some lotteries. Some games even feature bonus payouts and multipliers to add to the winning opportunities.
- Instant gratification – With a scratch card, players don’t even have to wait for a bigger lottery drawing. You don’t even have to wait for the cards to be dealt at a blackjack table or the end of a craps roll.
Conclusion
Scratch cards have been around more than 50 years and offer plenty of opportunities at winning without having to wait for a lottery drawing. The games have expanded online and players now have numerous opportunities to play online. The games offer an entertaining experience with the chance to win instantly. Playing online is very similar to what you might find after purchasing a scratch card at your local convenience store.
