Many scratch cards or scratchies as they’re called are available online, and they can be bought from several different websites.

However, it is essential to find a site that offers scratchies with great odds, good gameplay and most importantly, a safe, regulated environment. You see plenty of portals promising you the world on a lollipop stick, but are these sites safe places to buy scratchies online? Well, below, I’ll tell you how to find the best (and safest) places to play.

The first step in selecting a scratch card site is to figure out what sort of scratch cards you want. For example, are you looking to buy cards that are identical to those you can find in the real world, such as lottery game cards, or are you searching for a scratchie/slot hybrid?

Are you more attracted to online casinos that offer hybrid scratchies/slots? Is the jackpot size the most crucial aspect for you? I’ll go through these issues to provide you with some good suggestions for purchasing scratchies online.

WHERE TO BUY ONLINE SCRATCHIES?

The decision of where to buy scratchies online is entirely up to you. However, if you’re searching for scratchies that replicate those in the real world, I’ve got a few suggestions.

The best place to buy scratchies that match up to real game cards is Jackpot Joy. They even have a ‘Scatch Card Shop’ run by a friendly Newsagent! So step inside the virtual store and purchase traditional scratchies with a variety of jackpots and costs.

The cheapest game costs 20p, and the most expensive is £5, prizes ranging from a fruity £16 to a gleaming £30,000!

Along with the fun ‘Scratch Card Shop’, which offers six different games, you can also play branded games Jackpot Joy. Have you ever played ‘Monopoly’ scratch cards games available on the National Lottery? Well, you can play ‘Monopoly Empire‘ with Jackpot Joy. In addition, the game card features’ Chance & Community Chest Cards’, Get ‘Out of Jail Jackpot’, ‘Full Set Fortunes’ and Token Treasures.

If you fancy giving the scratchies at Jackpot Joy a whirl, you can register and test the games in demo mode (Freeplay) without depositing a penny. However, should you decide to play for cash prizes, a new player bonus is available.

HOW TO BUY ONLINE SCRATCHIES

The process of purchasing scratchies over the internet varies from site to site. However, it is generally done in this manner. Register for a website like Jackpot Joy, Betfred or Paddy Power.

After you’ve completed the registration form and paid with Paypal or a debit card, you’ll need to go to the site’s section where you may purchase/play scratchies.

Typically, this section of the website will be called ‘Scratch Cards’ or ‘Instants’. However, as you can see from the image below, at Jackpot Joy the section is called ‘Instants’.

I suggest that you play any new game in “Demo” mode so that you can become familiar with the game’s mechanics before risking real money. Then, you can transition to real money play once you’re comfortable with the game in “Demo” mode.

When playing for real money, keep in mind that you should only play at a comfortable level. In other words, how much do you want to risk on each scratch card? Most online casinos allow you to customize your risk/reward settings.

You’ll typically have the option of choosing the coin size before purchasing a scratchie online. At Jackpot Joy, you can play scratchies from 20 pence up to £10 in stepped increments. The prizes on offer increase with the amount you risk (generally).

If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to increase the amount of your wager inadvertently. As a result, be cautious about that. Double-check the cost of the card before you hit that ‘Play’ or ‘Buy’ button.

JACKPOT WINNING SCRATCHIES

We all have fantasies of winning a large jackpot – I’m talking about a real, life-changing amount. Well, here’s the quick way to find those big scratchie jackpots.

Look for cards that are part of the ‘Jackpot King’ network. To put it into simpler terms, ‘Jackpot King’ is a special jackpot attached to many scratchies and slots online.

This jackpot can be randomly activated during any gameplay session. ‘Jackpot King’ offers three different progressive prizes. They range from a few thousand to over £3 million (jackpots can rise and fall). King Kong Cash is a fantastic online scratchie that offers this prize pool; check out our review here.

SCRATCHIE BONUSES

The first thing you’ll notice on a scratchies site’s homepage is the “Welcome Bonus” provided to new consumers like you.

The rules for bonuses change from website to website, but they generally follow a similar pattern. In most cases, the casino or scratchcard site will entice a client to make a real money deposit in return for a deposit multiplier.

A bonus might look like this… ‘Deposit £10 and receive £20 to play our games.’ Alternatively, they may try to entice you with the offer of ‘free spins’ on a specific slot machine. You could even be given both offers simultaneously.

Below you can see the latest Scratchie Bonus from Betfred Casino; Betfred is a fantastic site to play scratch card games. They provide many excellent cards, including Golden Grand, a traditional scratch game available for just 25p.

RTP’s & SCRATCHIES

The acronym RTP stands for RETURN TO PLAYER, and it is often presented as a percentage rate. So, for example, when you play at an online casino, you’ll see a figure that looks similar to this (96% RTP).

So, in other words, the percentage rate shows the theoretical payout a player may anticipate from a scratch card or any casino game, such as blackjack online. If a card has an RTP of 96%, it will pay out £0.96 for every £1 wagered.

Remember that I said that the RTP percentage is ‘theoretically’ calculated. It’s due to the way the RTP is arrived at. When playing a casino game, you must not assume you will achieve the stated RTP. You could bet £100 and lose it all!

The RTP is calculated over a long period. For example, a casino may give the RTP rate for one million game plays, as it’s unlikely that any player will play a game one million times! As a result, each player’s RTP rates would be different from those of other players.

However, when choosing scratchies to play, you will have a statistically better chance of winning with cards that offer higher RTP’s.

MONEY MANAGEMENT

Understanding the math and odds behind scratchies is essential, but also having self-discipline when it comes to money is critical. Self-control is required while managing your money at an online casino. Use these ideas to keep yourself in the safe zone.

• Only bet what you can afford to lose. It’s neither entertaining nor wise to gamble with money that you’re afraid to lose.
• Establish a budget and stick to it. No matter what, when you hit that number, stop playing.
• Limit your gaming time. Taking a break is beneficial to your decision making.
• Don’t participate in any game you don’t understand. One of the quickest methods to use up your money is to join a game where the rules or techniques are unclear. Stay away from games you don’t understand.
• Take small wins. Be happy to bank your small wins, withdraw the money from the online casino. Don’t be tempted to overplay.