Most of us are very familiar with scratchcards. They can be found at the checkout of almost every supermarket and store in the country. They are bright, colourful and promise untold riches for a mere few pounds. No wonder we buy so many of them! And who can blame us? Who wouldn’t want to win a million pounds?
It may seem that scratch cards have been around forever, but actually, the first mass-produced version of the game was only launched in 1973. The card, created by ‘Scientific Games‘, was called ‘The Instant Game’. It contained five panels that customers could remove with a coin. It offered a whopping prize of $10,000 and boldly claimed that “1 out of 5 tickets wins”.
The design was very similar to the version we know and love today, so it was no surprise that the card became a hit. Scratch cards are a fun way of testing your luck, but they are still a form of gambling. So even though few of us have won more than £25, why do we still buy them, and are there better alternatives?
The Joy Of A Scratch Card
Actually, scratching a card isn’t much fun. It’s the pure anticipation that you might win that gives us the thrill. Have we managed to pick that one elusive card worth £1,000,000? Or have we just wasted £2 or £5?
Ideally, we all want to win something, even if it is just the cost of the card. But then you have the hassle of returning to the shop to claim your £2!
You also have to factor in the jackpot prizes. Do you even know if all of the top prizes have already been won? The National Lottery site keeps an updated list of all the prizes that have been claimed. But even if all the jackpots are gone, the cards can still be sold. So are you throwing away good money? Is there a better way to play scratchcards?
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The Benefits Of Online Scratchcards
Yes, it may seem strange to play a scratch card online. After all, most of the fun comes from the excitement of scratching off those little silver panels. Maybe for some, but there are actually loads of advantages to playing scratch cards online.
Firstly, there is a far greater range available online than what’s on offer in your local shop or supermarket.
Secondly, online prices are designed to suit every pocket, so you can often play for as little as 10p per card. The flexibility of online scratchcards means that the jackpots go higher or lower depending on how much you want to play for. The more expensive the scratch card, the higher the potential jackpot.
Thirdly, they payout instantly. No need to head back to a shop to get your winnings; once you win, the money is in your online account instantly. From there, you can use it to play more games or simply withdraw it.
Where To Play Online Scratchcards
Scratchcards online are very easy to use. Simply go to your chosen online bookmaker or casino, one you already have an account with, and find them in the casino section of the website. As popular as they are, not all online bookmakers have a comprehensive collection. That’s why we recommend Jackpotjoy, the online bingo site.
The ‘Instants’ section on Jackpotjoy is absolutely crammed with a huge range of online scratch cards. All are available to play in demo mode, so as long as you are a customer, you can try them for free. This will give you a good idea if the card is for you. You can also click on ‘more info’ on all the cards and check the minimum price and the jackpots on offer.
If you don’t already have a Jackpotjoy account, signing up is very easy and only takes a few minutes.
How To Play Online Scratchcards
Once you have picked your card, you simply use your mouse to move the virtual coin and scratch off the panels. Depending on the game, you may have to match icons or get three of a kind. Basically the exact same as in real life.
You can play online cards for as little as 0.10p each, which is a good deal cheaper than the ones you buy in the shop. They now cost a minimum of £1 and up to £5 per card.
Scratch cards are always a game of chance, so there is not a lot you can do to increase your chances of winning, but the more cards you buy, the more likely you are to win. Usually, with scratchcards, the higher the card’s price, the higher the maximum winnings are.
Online scratchcards come with variable payouts, so be sure to check each one before you play. This is known as the RTP (Return to Player) and will be in the form of a percentage. The higher the RTP, the higher the amount of money that is won on a game.
However, just because an RTP is 90% doesn’t mean you’ll get back 90p for every £1 you spend. It means that collectively, across all of the people who play, 90% will be returned in winnings.
So good luck, and have fun playing online scratchcards!