The History of Scratching Cards
Who doesn’t love scratch cards? Did you know that even though “scratch cards” is their most famous name, they are also called scratch-offs, scratch tickets, scratch-and-win, instant games, instant lotteries and even scratchies?
They have been around for quite a while, so it’s no wonder they have so many names.
In this article, we dive into the world of scratching cards to explore their history, development and current state.
This is an interesting read for people who are into scratching cards and would like to know more about them.
Origins of Scratching Cards
It was 1974 when scientist John Koza and retail promotions specialist Daniel Bower produced the first computer-generated instant lottery game for the Scientific Games Corporation.
Some years later, in 1987, Astro-Med, Inc. received the patent for scratchies and that’s how the phenomenon actually began.
Today, there are still two major manufacturers in the field of game tickets: Scientific Games Corporation and Pollard Banknote.
Of course, there are many other smaller manufacturers around the world, but these two would be the major ones in American territory.
Development of Scratch Cards
Scratchcards became very popular due to their low cost, increasing distribution and the possibility of winning substantial sums of money in a short period of time.
Physical scratch cards still exist, of course, but with the digital revolution, you can always find a virtual counterpart online. Still, people seem to prefer the nostalgic practice of physical scratching cards, regardless of the advent of the digital revolution.
The same can’t be said for other games, such as casinos, where the online version of many games is actually preferred over more traditional casino settings.
Many online casinos helped this process by sending out some interesting bonuses. See what they said about it here and find out whether you prefer a physical or an online format for your games.
How Easy Can You Win?
It is a dream shared by many — the one of winning a big sum of money by buying a simple scratch card. But how easy is it to actually win?
Well, statistics are a big part of this process, and it might reassure you to know that in the 21st century, there have been several attempts to increase the odds of finding the winning scratching card based on statistics.
Plus, there are many different games you can play, even though they all fall under the category of scratchcards.
This is a positive aspect, as it gives a broad spectrum of possibilities to players who like to engage with this type of practice and want to try out many different gaming options.
The Future of Scratch Cards
As we mentioned above, there are now many online versions of scratch cards. It was 2010 when the first virtual versions of scratchies were developed by Macromedia Flash and Java. They have been around for over a decade now!
Regardless of that, it looks like the majority of people prefer to approach the world of Scratch Cards in the old-fashioned way and still play physical cards whenever possible.
This means that sometimes tradition is stronger than any possible technological developments, and when it comes to simple and entertaining practices, people might enjoy things “the old way.”
Scratchcards have been around for over sixty years now and it looks like they might be here to stay.
They are still considered an easy and low-maintenance way to engage in games that could lead to substantial sums, and people are not willing to let go of them quite yet, as they have definitely become part of our current gaming culture.
