Definition
Scratch Card
Also known as Scratchcard, Scratch-off, Scratcher, Instant Ticket
By Abhinav VasudevanReviewed Editorial policy
In short
A scratch card is an instant win ticket with a coating you remove to reveal whether you have won. Prizes are pre-allocated across a finite print run, so tickets can still be sold after all top prizes have been claimed.
A scratch card is a printed ticket with symbols hidden under an opaque latex coating. Scratch it off and you immediately know the result.
Predetermined at manufacture
The crucial structural fact: every scratch card game is a fixed print run with a fixed set of prizes distributed through it.
A game might print 12 million tickets containing exactly 4 top-prize winners, 60 second-tier winners, and several million small ones. The distribution is decided before any ticket is sold, and the printing is randomised so winning tickets are spread through the run.
Your ticket is already a winner or a loser when you buy it. Nothing about how or when you scratch it matters.
The consequence people miss
Because prizes are finite and pre-allocated, remaining prizes genuinely change the value of a ticket.
If all four top prizes in a game have been claimed, tickets from that game are still on sale, still cost the same, and can no longer win the advertised jackpot. This is legal and normal, and operators are generally required to publish remaining-prize data.
Checking that data before buying is the only meaningful research available in this product, and almost nobody does it.
The returns
Scratch cards return 60% to 70% of stakes. Better than a draw lottery at around 50%, worse than any casino game.
Higher-priced cards usually return more:
| Price | Typical RTP |
|---|---|
| £1 | 55–62% |
| £2–£3 | 62–68% |
| £5–£10 | 68–75% |
Reading the odds
Two different figures are published and they mean different things:
- Overall odds: the chance of winning anything, often around 1 in 3.5. This includes winning your stake back, which is not a win in any meaningful sense
- Top prize odds: commonly 1 in 1 million to 1 in 10 million
The overall figure is the one advertised, and it is technically accurate and practically misleading. A large share of “wins” return the ticket price or less.
The harm profile
Rapid resolution, low price point, high availability and the ability to buy another immediately are the characteristics most associated with gambling harm. Scratch cards have all four, and they are sold at supermarket tills.
Common questions
Are scratch card prizes already decided?
Yes. Every game is a fixed print run with prizes allocated at manufacture and randomised through the run. Your ticket is a winner or a loser before you buy it, and nothing about how you scratch affects it.
What percentage do scratch cards pay back?
Around 60% to 70%, better than a draw lottery and worse than any casino game. Higher-priced cards return more, with £5 to £10 tickets typically reaching 68% to 75% against 55% to 62% for £1 cards.