What are Scratch Cards?

You may know scratch cards from behind the counter in numerous kiosks or convenience stores, or you may just recognise them from online gaming sites and wondered what they were and how they are played.

Scratch cards are extremely simple and exciting games of chance and whether you're playing on line or with a real life scratch card, the game always carries the same aim; even though there are now so many different types of scratch card game.

A scratch card is usually a square or rectangle window that is filled with panels that are covered in a very thin layer of foil. This foil can easily be scratched off by using a coin, a finger nail, and of course, with the click of a mouse if you're playing online and it's the scratching part that gives the scratch card its name.

On most scratch cards, there is a theme, and the title of the scratch card can usually be found in large letters at the top of bottom of the card. Each card usually comes with a theme too, and most are brightly coloured and exceptionally inviting to the eye, and usually, the theme creeps into the game itself when it comes to icons and symbols.

On each scratch card, you'll be given instructions, and they are usually along the lines of “match any 3 symbols” or “find the star icon”, for example, although games do vary.
As you scratch away at the thin layer of foil, you'll begin to reveal printed text, symbols, icons or images, and it's these images that can make or break a win. When playing online, your win is confirmed by the computer, but in real life, you must survey your card to ensure you have the winning combo and then you're able to take it to the local store or send it off to be redeemed.

A very classic scratch card game is a 'cash match' game. When you come across one of these scratch cards, the aim of the game is usually to match three of the same cash amounts and you are usually required to scratch away a window which holds around nine different amounts. If you manage to reveal three of the same amounts, that amount is yours.

All scratch card games are very simple to play and the game itself is very quick fire. Simply buy your scratch card, scratch away the panels and you'll see if you've managed to bag a win.