An Introduction to Scratch Cards

Author: Nick Wright

In terms of the thrill of gambling there is not much that can beat the excitement of instant win games like scratch cards, scratch off tickets or scratchers. The simplest of instant win games and scratch off tickets, involve scratching off one or more panels from a card to reveal either matching symbols or a collection of cash amounts.

Scratch games and other instant win games can trace their origins back to 1974 with American company Scientific Games Corporation, under the tutelage of scientist John Koza and retail specialist Daniel Brewer. After this the US patent for instant win scratch off lottery tickets was awarded to Astro-Med Incorporated in 1987.

Currently there are two major manufacturers of instant win games and scratch off tickets, in many countries including the United States, United Kingdom and Brazil, Scientific Games Corporation is still the main producer and distributer, whilst Pollard Banknote is also a major manufacturer within the USA and Canada.

The most modern instant win games and scratchers are often themed around different events, television programs and products, but some of the most popular still remain the most traditional lottery based instant win games.

Aside from these traditional scratch off tickets, there are now digital, online versions of instant win games available through different websites which came into existence from around 2010. These online instant win games use Macromedia Flash and Java to simulate the experience of scratching a card and to offer an even more instant path to the excitement and potential winnings offered by scratch games.

Instant win games and virtual scratch cards are therefore now an integral part of many online casinos and gambling sites and their popularity is only ever likely to go in one direction and that is an upward one.