Online Scratch Cards: How They Work, Odds and Prizes
By John Isaac,Editor at online-gambling.com
John Isaac
Editor at online-gambling.com | Rules Difficulty | Easy |
|---|---|
| RTP | 85.00% – 96.01% |
| Why Play Online | Top Advantages |
| How to Win | Best Tips |
Free Scratch Cards Online – Play for Free
Playing scratchcards online is simple and fun. Unlike some other casino games, you do not need to learn complex rules and strategies to play. It takes no skill at all, with your chances of winning real money relying on pure luck.
If you are yet to play online scratch cards, then try our free demo game below and get a taste of what is on offer.
PlayHow to Play Online Scratch Cards – Basic Rules
If you are familiar with scratchcards, you will know just how easy they are to play. You do not need any special skills to enjoy them. You buy a card and simply scratch off the silver film to reveal the symbols. If you have 3 matching symbols, then you win a payout.
Some games will payout for finding a single special symbol. Playing online follows the same principles. Here are the basic rules you need to know to play scratchcards online:
- Pick a scratch card from the selection on offer
- Select the card price
- Click play to scratch and reveal the hidden symbols
- Collect the prize if you win
- Play again
Scratchcards have been around since the 1970s, yet they began to appear online around 2010. Modern versions run on HTML5, so they work in any browser without extra software.
Online scratchcards may be incredibly simple to play, yet regardless of their simplicity, or maybe even because of it, they have gained significant popularity with players over the years. As such, you can find scratchcards at many online casinos and other gambling sites.
Odds and Payouts
Online scratchcards usually offer different prizes, depending on the symbols displayed on the card. If you match the symbols, you will win a prize.
Each symbol has a different value and the winnings are calculated by multiplying the bet by the prize multiplier. As such, the amount you win depends on the bet you have placed to play the scratch card.
Statistically, the higher the payout multiplier, the lower the odds. For your convenience, we estimated the odds to win per 100 plays:
| Scratch Card Payouts | Odds to Win |
|---|---|
| x10,000 | 0.1% |
| x2,500 | 0.4% |
| x100 | 1% |
| x10 | 10% |
| x5 | 20% |
| x2 | 50% |
As the table shows, lower payouts are more likely to occur than the higher wins. That said, our calculations are not conclusive.
Every scratch card you play is randomly generated, and you may see bigger or smaller wins. After all, this is not a skill-based game, so you have to consider the luck factor. You can also find some scratch cards online that offer betting on jackpots.
How Instant-Win Draws Work
Online scratch cards are instant-win games. The result is decided by a random number generator the moment you buy the card, and the scratching animation simply reveals it. Nothing you do after the purchase changes the outcome.
Each card has a paytable of prize tiers, like the one above. Every tier is assigned a fixed probability, and the sum of all tiers’ probabilities multiplied by their prizes gives the game’s RTP.
That is why two cards with the same price can pay very differently. One may fund a big jackpot tier with fewer small wins, while another pays smaller prizes more often.
House Edge and RTP
If you have played casino games online before, you may well be familiar with the concepts of house edge and RTP. House edge expresses the advantage the casino has over the player in a game.
RTP expresses the amount of all bets placed on a game that are paid back to players as winnings over the long run. Most online scratch cards have a theoretical RTP of between 85% – 96%. Traditional retail scratch cards usually return much less, often between 60% and 70%.
The house will always have an advantage. The house edge is simply 100% minus the RTP, so for online scratch cards it ranges from around 4% to 15%, depending on the game.
Scratch Card Games – Online and Traditional
Traditional scratch card games have been around for many years. They offer simplicity and they are all quite similar. They are often reasonably low priced and give you the chance to instantly win cash.
Since the boom of online gambling sites, scratch cards have also become available to play online. Many people prefer to play scratch cards online for the following reasons:
- Convenience of playing anytime, anywhere
- You can adjust the price of your scratch card
- Higher RTP compared to traditional scratch cards
- You can play free scratch cards just for fun
- You can claim bonuses to extend your playing time
- Great graphics, sound and animations
- Wide variety of themes available
Clearly, there are many advantages of choosing to play scratch cards online compared to buying them from a newsagent, supermarket, or gas station.
There are many different types of scratch cards to choose from online. While the basic rules of how to play do not change, there is plenty of variety in terms of themes. We will explore the variety of scratch cards you can play online in the following section.
Best Online Scratch Cards Variations
There are various scratch card games that you can play online. They all have a similar layout and offer similar rewards. Differences can be found in the themes and graphics. Furthermore, you can find them at a range of online gambling sites. For your convenience, we have listed all types below:
- Casino Scratch Cards – These games can be played at casino sites. They offer a range of themes and you will find many that are based on popular online slots, such as Foxin’ Wins and Irish Eyes 2.
- Licensed Scratch Cards – Also referred to as branded scratch cards, these games have well-known themes, such as films and TV shows. Popular licensed scratch cards include Rocky and King Kong.
- Bingo Scratch Cards – In a similar way to playing a game of bingo, you scratch to reveal bingo numbers. You scratch them off on the bingo tickets on your card and you win if you get a line or other winning bingo combination.
- Scratch Card Games – Scratch card games offer the chance to win a prize by revealing matching symbols. They can include additional bonus features and jackpot games.
- Animated Scratch Cards – Animated scratch cards feature enhanced graphics and video quality, that bring the game to life. The animations create an entertaining and immersive playing experience.
- Lottery Scratchcards – Lottery scratchcards generally feature a jackpot prize. A portion of the profits made from lottery scratch cards is usually allocated to charities and good causes.
There is no shortage of choice when it comes to scratch cards online. Regardless of the types you choose to play, they all come with different odds, payouts, and prizes.
We recommend trying their free demo versions, where they are available. That is a good way to find the best scratch cards to suit your taste before you play with real money.
When you are ready for the real thing, availability varies by location: US players can start with our US online gambling guide, while players in the Philippines can check our Philippines casino guide.
Top Tips – Learn to Play Like a Pro
Some casino games, such as online blackjack, require an element of skill. Yet due to the simplicity of scratchcards, there are no strategies to help you win.
You can, however, get the most out of your play by understanding the odds and following the tips that we have prepared for you:
- Learn the rules – While the rules of scratch cards are simple and straightforward, you should make sure you understand them before you play, so that you know exactly what is involved.
- Improve your skills by playing free scratch cards – By playing scratchcards for free online, you can familiarize yourself with the gameplay, settings, and payouts. It is a good way to prepare yourself for playing confidently with real money.
- Choose the right online scratch card for you – There are many different variations of scratch cards to choose from online. Consider what types of games most appeal to you and that you will enjoy playing.
- Plan your budget – When you gamble with money, you should set yourself a budget and stick to it. Decide what you can afford before you play and never chase losses.
- Check the paytable before you buy – Prize tiers and top prizes differ from card to card. A quick look at the paytable tells you what you are playing for.
The most important piece of advice we can give you is to play responsibly. Online scratchcards are great fun to play. Yet you should remember that no matter how fun the game gets, you need to know when to stop.
You will be gambling with your own cash, so you always need to consider your budget and never be tempted to spend more than you can afford.
Final Thoughts
Playing scratch cards online is entertaining and great fun. They are simple games of chance: the result is set the moment you buy the card, and no strategy changes it.
Before spending anything, try the free demo and check the odds and prize tiers of the card you want to play. Set a budget, treat the game as entertainment, and stop while it is still fun.
If online scratch cards are not the right game for you, you could also try slots. Online slots are also simple and easy to play, with hundreds of themes and special features to choose from. Our slots guide explains how they work and includes free demos.
Popular Questions
To make this guide as helpful to you as possible, we have collected the questions players ask most often about playing scratch cards online and answered them below.
1. How to win on scratch cards?
Whilst there may not be any foolproof strategies that can be used to win on scratch cards, there are some tips we can give to help improve your odds. These include learning the rules, playing responsibly, and choosing the best sites to play at.
2. How do online scratch cards work?
To play online scratch cards, you purchase a ticket and click scratch to reveal the hidden symbols. If you win, you will receive a payout according to the paytable. You can find full details in our guide to how to play scratch cards.
3. What are the best scratch cards to win on?
The best scratchcards to win on are online games. Online scratchcards usually have a higher RTP and a lower house edge than traditional versions. As such, they offer players a better chance of winning in the long run.
4. Can I play free scratch cards?
Yes, you can play free scratch cards for fun. Many casino sites offer demo scratchcards that you can try out for free. You can also find a scratchcard demo game that you can play for free at the top of this page.
5. What are the best real money scratch cards sites?
The best sites for playing scratchcards online with real money are licensed, secure, and safe. They feature a good selection of games and bonus offers for playing them with. We have compared, rated, and ranked operators to create a list of the best online scratch cards sites.
6. Are there any no deposit scratch cards available?
Whilst there are some no deposit scratch card bonuses available, the best offers tend to be reserved for when you make your first deposit. Your cash will be matched with bonus funds, giving you more money to play scratch cards online.