How to play scratch cards online

The best online scratch cards will depend on where you are located, with not all online casino games available in all places. The top scratches online for real money can net you huge wins and prove hours of entertainment. Our guide to the best online scratch cards includes information about where to play, scratch card bonus offers and promtoions and all the newest scratchies available. Our top online scratch card sites in 2021 include:


Playing scratch cards for real money in 2021

There are a number of online scratch cards available to play for real money in 2021. These include real money scratchcards by some of the most respected gambling companies in the world.

This article will teach you how to play online scratch cards and make recommendations about the top casino sites with scratchies.

The online gambling industry has not only changed the way people gamble, but also increased people’s access to a wide range of casino games. This has been taken a step further by the mobile casino industry, allowing people to access their favourite casino games anytime, anywhere, on the go. One game that was a late entrant but has rapidly become very popular at all the top casinos is the scratch card.

Scratch cards, or scratchies as they are known in some places, are fun, easy to play and offer some great payouts. There is an entire range of real money scratch cards available at online casinos; with these including regular scratch cards with great graphics and animations to exciting theme-based scratch cards based on things like Hollywood blockbusters and comic book superheroes. There are also games with fantastic and wacky graphics, such as Golden Ghouls and Hairy Fairies.

So in summary real money scratchies are readily available at many of the top gambling sites, although you will need to do some research to find out what casinos will accept your patronage.


Why are online scratch cards so popular?

Scratch cards are relatively new entrants to the online and mobile casino industries. In the short span of time they have been around they have skyrocketed in popularity, now sitting comfortably alongside other casino games like online slots and blackjack. There are a number of reasons for this sudden rise real money scratchcards on the internet:

  • There is an air of familiarity about scratchies as they have already existed in their land-based form for quite a while now. People gravitate towards games they know and scratch cards have been available at newsagents and retail outlets for many years.
  • Scratch card games online are easy to play and are one of the quicker casino games to go from start to finish. Scratch cards truly are a game of chance.
  • Some punters love real money skill games, while others are happy to let fate take its path. Scratch cards are certainly not skill-based games.
  • Online scratch cards are attractive to players, in comparison to the traditional scratchie, which is just a piece of cardboard. Online scratchies have awesome animations and grpahics, while the entire scenario is backed by excellent sound effects.
  • Themed scratch cards are definitely one of the highlights of playing these games online, with seeing your favourite superhero or TV star adding some extra excitement.
  • Online casinos have some awesome bonus offers up for grabs, particularly for new players, which can be used on scratch cards.
  • Some online scratch cards have progressive jackpots attached, meaning you could win a huge sum playing for real money.
  • There are also scratch card games available for free, as part of bonus packages. For instance, some casinos offer free scratch cards for no deposit play.

Step-by-step: Playing online scratchcards for real money

Playing real money online scratch cards is fun and very easy in the digital age. You can be playing scratchcards within minutes. We outline the steps for you below:

  1. Find a casino that has real money scratch cards available

    Most online casinos will have some scratch cards available in 2020, with several of the most prominent iGaming developers having titles in this area. All of the scratch card sites we promote on this page are safe and have scratchies available to play for real money.

  2. Sign up at the scratch card casino

    Joining an online casino only takes a few minutes, with it involving handing over things like your name, date of birth, email address, physical address and phone number. Rest assured the online casinos we promote on this website all adhere to the highest levels of security.

  3. Funding your casino account

    There are literally hundreds of different ways you can fund a gambling account to begin playing real money scratchies, with these including popular methods like Visa, Paypal and Neteller. Further down this page you can find more information about casino deposit options.

  4. Start playing your favourite online scratchies

    Now you have signed up at a casino with scratchies, funded your account and now the only thing left to do is begin playing. Navigating on onlien scratchies site is simple, just visit the games section and do a search for scratch cards. If there is no search, look through the categories carefully and if there is no scratchies there, look under “other” or “more” games.

  5. Staying safe and cashing out when playing scratchies

    It’s imperative that you give the right details when signing up at an online casino, because if you don’t you may not be able to withdraw any winnings. You need to be able to verify the details you gave the casino before your account is 100% active.


Scratch card software developers

The popularity of online scratch cards has seen a large number of iGaming software providers offering these games to casino operators. The software providers include not just the veterans of the industry but also some of the new ones that are rapidly making a name for themselves with their high-quality scratchies.

Some of the top scratch card casino software providers include:

Microgaming scratch cards

Microgaming is arguably the biggest name in the online casino industry, with thousands of gambling sites boasting their games — including scratchies. Some of our favourite Microgaming scratchies include:

Beer Fest
Bill and Ted
Bingo Bonanza
Bowled Over
Cashapillar
Game, Set and Scratch
Six Shooter Looter

Playtech scratchies

Playtech has been around for a long time and have had various scratch cards available to players for most of this time. Playtech Scratch cards have outstanding graphics and are universally regarded as some of the best available.

Blackjack Scratch Card
Beetle Bingo
Iron Man 2
Rocky

NetEnt scratchcards

Net Ent is another online software company that has a great reputation in online gambling and their scratch cards don’t let anyone down. Net Entertainment scratchies are available at upwards of 100 casinos and provide some unique gameplay in comparison to other scratchcard developers.

Shoot 4 Gold
Treasure Hunt
Bubbles
7 Gold Scratch
Lucky Double

NeoGames scratch cards

NeoGames specializes in scratch cards and have been doing so since 2005. Neo has also expanded into the lottery and slots areas, but rest assured you will still find plenty of great real money scratchies to play.

Legends of Terra
The Lost Maya
Lucky Eggs
The Fairy Tale
Cash Farm

GameSys scratchcards

GameSys scratch cards are extremely popular and they should be, with this software company used by many online casino sites. The best scratch cards by GameSys include Gold Fever and Scratchcard Shop.

Deal or No Deal Scratch Card
Bejeweled Scratch Card
Cash Crop


Differences between online scratch cards and scratch off tickets

Online scratch cards play more or less like their land-based scratch off ticket counterparts, except for a few minor differences:

  • They are virtual, unlike the actual physical scratch cards you get at a land-based casino or lottery outlet.
  • With the physical scratch cards, you would use a pen, coin or any other sharp object to reveal the symbols on the card. In the online version you do this by clicking the mouse on the relevant parts of the screen.
  • The flexibility of online scratchies is much greater, with this including things like the amount you spend on the ticket and how much you can win. For instance some online scratchcards have a progressive jackpot attached, meaning you could win thousands of dollars by spending just a few cents. The sky is really the limit with digital scratchies.
  • Free play scratchies are not something you find at retail outlets, but online scratchies as a general rule you can play for free before you try them.

Types of scratch card games

There are different types of scratch card games available at online casinos. The major ones are:

Bingo scratch cards

As the name suggests, bingo scratch cards come with a bingo theme. They resemble bingo games in terms of their graphics – they look like bingo cards, number boards and also finer details like the bingo ball dispensers. These are usually Flash-based cards, which means you can play them in instant play mode.

The game is based on bingo, with a slight difference: instead of an entire bingo card you get a line of 3 numbers that you have to match with the numbers from the balls that have been drawn.

There are different kinds of bingo scratch cards; we take a quick look at a few of them below:

Bubble Bingo: You get up to 12 cards at a time and you could potentially win 3 prizes per card.
The 60s: A 75-ball instant bingo scratch card game that allows you to buy a maximum of 4 tickets at a time. The ball dispenser throws out 30 numbered balls; you win if any of those numbers match the ones on your card. This game also comes with a £200,000 jackpot.
Bingo Mania: This is another popular bingo scratch card that requires you to match 3 numbers with those on the 12 drawn balls. Each game has 6 cards, with 3 numbers per card. This game also comes with a £200,000 jackpot.

Other top bingo scratch cards include games such as Beetle Bingo and Bingo Bonanza.

Casino scratch cards

As the name suggests, these scratch cards are themed on traditional casino games like slots, blackjack/, video poker, craps and roulette. They are a big hit among fans, especially the slots-themed games, as they come with exceptionally high-quality graphics and animations. All these games are Flash-based, which means you can play them directly from a browser.

Blackjack-themed scratch cards: They deal the cards for you and the dealer and require you to scratch them off to reveal your hand. You win if you beat the dealer’s hand. These games have prizes as high as £100,000.

Roulette-themed scratch cards: They are just like the game of roulette. You spin the roulette wheel to generate numbers, and then try to match them with the numbers on your cards. You get up to 5 games to win the prize mentioned. Prizes usually range between £1 and £50, though some games offer prizes as high as £10,000.

Video poker-themed scratch cards: These include games like Jacks or Better Scratch Cards. Some of them allow you to play up to 25 hands at a time, and all of them have simple rules. In some of them you also get the Gamble feature to try to double your winnings.

Slots-themed scratch card games: These are among the most popular, as they come with themes that players can instantly identify. They also come with instant wins and even progressive jackpots.

Lottery scratchcards

These are scratch card games that look like regular lottery games. The advantage is they are instant win games; you scratch off and reveal the numbers to win. They are fun to play and there are quite a few of them. Some of the popular ones are:

Jungle Joy: You choose 4 of the 9 squares to scratch off. You win if you are able to reveal the same jungle animal on at least 3 squares. The game comes with a £200,000 jackpot.

Super 3 Wow: This is another cool scratch card game featuring 3 cards in a game. Each of the 3 cards comes with a massive £1 million jackpot.

Jackpot scratch cards

Choosing the right scratch card game to play is very important, especially when you consider the fact that some of them come with lucrative instant jackpots. These jackpots are usually huge and have the potential to change your life should you hit one of them. The incentive that they offer takes your gaming experience to a whole different level.

There are a number of these jackpots available at some of the top UK online casinos. They are easy to play and can be played for low bets as well. Imagine playing one of these jackpots for a pound or two and ending up a millionaire! Some of the top jackpot scratch cards include:

  • Beat the Bank
  • Arabian Delights
  • Wintry Wonderland
  • Beachside Bonanza

Other exciting games include Macau Nights, which has a £1 million jackpot and Winners Club Scratch, which has a unique 4-tier progressive jackpot.


Scratch card casino bonus offers

There are a range of bonuses available at online casinos; most of them – welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses and others – can be used to play scratch cards. Some of the main casino site bonuses involving scratch cards are:

  • No deposit scratch card bonus
  • Free scratch card bonus
  • Matched deposit scratch card bonus

No deposit scratch card bonus

As the name suggests, this type of casino bonus is available even before you deposit funds into your casino account. You register an account with the casino and get a quota of no deposit scratch card games to play. You basically play for free, and also get to keep a portion of your winnings. The number of scratch cards available under this bonus is not huge, but substantial enough to ensure some decent wins. For instance, a casino could give you 30 no deposit scratch card games.

Free scratchies bonuses

The free scratch card bonus is usually offered together with a deposit match bonus. You deposit funds into your account and the casino gives you a certain number of free scratch card games. This bonus may be available on the first deposit or on the first few deposits, depending on the casino you are playing at. All winnings from this bonus are yours to keep. For instance, a casino may offer you a welcome bonus of 100% up to £200 and 200 free scratch cards across your first 3 deposits.

Play Scratch cards with a match deposit bonus

Regardless of the scratch card bonus available, one thing you must remember: these bonuses, like all other casino bonuses, come with their own terms and conditions. You must fulfill these terms and conditions to be able to use the bonus properly and also redeem any winnings from it. Among all the terms and conditions applicable, one of the most vital is the wagering requirement. A matched deposit could be something along the lines of a 100% matched bonus up to the value of $100. This means you could make a $100 deposit and have a total of $200 to spend on scratch cards.


Payment methods at scratchies sites

If you want to play real money scratch cards you will need to deposit to your online casino account. This can be done with many different methods, including credit and debit cards, web wallets and even online banking. Learn more about online scratchie site deposit options in our detailed guides:

Scratch Card FAQs

Where and when did online scratch cards originate? Scratch cards are among the newest entrants to the online gambling industry. They were earlier available at land-based locations. Scratch cards were first invented in the 1970s by a group of American computer scientists. In 1974, Scientific Games Corp did develop an instant lottery scratch card that was computer generated. However, the company that got the patent for scratch off tickets in the US was Astro-Med Inc in 1987.