Scratch Card Secrets & How to Win More Often

The More Expensive the Card, the Better your Chances of Winning

First off, we should state that the following is only applicable to land-based scratch cards. Though there's no fixed rule, on the whole, the more expensive the scratch card, then the greater the chances you have of winning. To illustrate this point, let's examine the odds of two National Lottery scratch cards: the £50 million Mega Cash Showdown and the £100,000 Multiplier Scratch card.

The former, being a £5 scratch card has winning odds of 1 in 3,348,250. The latter is a £1 scratch card with odds of 1 in 5,441,910. Though both sets of odds appear to be impossibly high, the more expensive ticket offers a much better possibility of landing the top prize.

However, you should be aware that just because the number of top prizes, or the low jackpot prize value is able to affect the overall odds, it doen’t means that this rule is 100% true. Nevertheless, the main point is that regardless of what scratch card you're playing, you should always check the odds of the game before you begin.

Bulk-buy Your Scratch Cards

Many regular players of scratch cards will tell you that one of the best tips is to buy scratch cards in bulk. To that end, they will purchase a minimum of 5 scratch cards for the same game from the same outlet. The idea is that this will give you better odds as opposed to buying a single scratch card, and then making several separate trips to buy others at later dates.

The thinking behind this idea is the belief that manufacturers will place wins frequently throughout the cards. Therefore, by purchasing scratch cards in bulk, you may have a better chance of landing a planted scratch card. Whether you choose this method or not, only ever buy the number of cards you can comfortably afford.

Don’t Play Scratch Cards with No Remaining Jackpot

Some scratch card operators like the National Lottery allow scratch cards to be sold when there are no remaining jackpots. Yes, we know this sounds crazy, but it's actually true. However, it only applies when the jackpot prizes are over £121,000. Many shops and outlets will be sitting on scratch cards that have been previously activated, and the rules allow them to keep selling. To avoid wasting your money in this manner, it's a good idea to check the website of each scratch card and see which jackpots are still available. Many, like the National lottery, will update with the latest jackpot information from Monday to Friday. When you're buying a scratch card at the purchase point, pay attention to the screen in front of you. Usually, this will tell you when all the jackpots have been won for a particular scratch card.

Check the Scratch Card’s RTP

If you're a regular gambler then there's a good chance you would have come across the term “RTP.” It stands for “return to player.” Essentially, it's the percentage of sales that are given back to the player, versus the amount kept by the game’s operator. Not all scratch card operators will use the term RTP. Some, like Lottomart, refer to the RTP as the "payout."

If for example, you play scratch cards with an RTP or payout of 75.01%, it means that for each £100 spent on scratch cards, £75.01 will go towards prizes. This means that the operator keeps £24.99. Sometimes you have to search for the RTP. If you can't find it, then it's a good idea to go online and visit the scratch card operator’s webpage. You may have to go into the terms and conditions. It goes without saying, the higher the RTP, the greater the prizes will be for winning players.

Look for Old Scratch Cards with Remaining Jackpots

Some players believe that you can improve your winning chances of getting a jackpot by playing scratch cards that are already a few months old. As previously mentioned, check that there are jackpots available before you start playing. Take this strategy with a pinch of salt. For one thing, just because they claim there are more jackpots to play for, doesn't necessarily mean that they are still available. That’s because someone may be saving the winning ticket at home. Even worse, they might have thrown a winning ticket away.

One issue with playing with old scratch cards is that they can be difficult to find. We suggest that you ask at your local or independent scratch card sales outlets.

Try the Singleton Method

Though on the face of it, the Singleton Method sounds crazy, it was once successful. Today, some more experience scratch card players still make use of this technique. The idea is to analyse the design and layout of a scratch card in order to pick up any clues about the numbers that may be hidden under the foil.

The problem here is that virtually all scratch card manufacturers already know about this strategy. As a result, all scratch cards are designed to work against it. However, it is said that there are some players who swear that there are a few manufacturers who have done nothing to address the Singleton Method. These players also claim that there are scratch cards with the numbers visible from the side. Though we haven't heard of anybody winning from this, it may be something you wish to try out.

Give Online Scratch Cards a Whirl

Thanks to the physical actions you need to perform when playing real scratch cards, some find them more fun than the online version. However, when it comes to the prizes, then online casinos are able to offer much better odds. This is simply because running a scratch card game over the internet has much fewer overheads and costs when compared to a real-world operator. After all, there's no need to print and distribute the cards or pay any commission to the retailers. In this manner, they are able to pass on bigger prizes to the players.

Here at Queenplay we have a huge selection of online scratch cards for you to try. The games have a great range of theme and give you the chance to win many thousands of times your bet.

Recheck All ‘Losing’ Scratch Cards

You might be surprised at how many players fail to read their tickets properly. It's dishearteningly common to see many instances where there are players who think they've lost when they have won and vice versa. To avoid this happening, you should always get a second opinion. Simply ask a friend or take the scratch card back to the shop where you bought it. They will happily scan it for you. The whole process takes 10 seconds and it will let you put your mind at rest.

Set Yourself a Scratch Card Budget

Due to the psychological effects of gamification, it's easy for players to get sucked into spending more money than they originally planned. The sheer anticipation that comes from revealing each number is, in itself, a small hit of dopamine. This causes your pleasure receptors to light up.

Watch out for Winning and Losing Streaks

Be wary of hitting either winning or losing streaks. Just because you have a string of good luck, it doesn't mean it's going to continue. We say this because too often we hear of a player who has won a big prize fall to the temptation of spending all those winnings on chasing an even bigger one. If you find yourself experiencing a losing streak, then it's a good idea to stop buying scratch cards. Remember that buying more of them will not necessarily result in you being able to win back the money you’ve already spent. Whatever you do, never gamble with more money than you can afford to lose.