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Online Scratch Cards
Using online scratch cards is the perfect way to capture the excitement of physical scratch cards without the need to leave your home to get them, and without all the metallic mess!
Most casino sites offer players the opportunity to try instant win scratch cards online. We've taken a closer look at a huge selection of sites to find free bonuses, online scratch card offerings, and odds of winning.
Best Online Scratch Card Casinos
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200% Bonus
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100% Bonus
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100% Bonus
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50% Free Bet
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100% Bonus
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Jackpot Focus
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50% Free Bet
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How to Play Scratch Card Games Online
Perhaps the most obvious point to make is that when playing scratch cards for real money online, there's no physical scratching involved. So put that coin down and step away from the screen!
In lieu of scratching off panels, scratch card players must click panels or buttons to reveal whether they've won any money. To speed up the process, most instant win scratch cards online have a button marked 'Reveal All' or 'Scratch All'. This will uncover all the relevant information at once.
The process is usually much quicker than scratching off and checking lots of panels on a physical scratch card. For that reason, it's common for many players to work their way through multiple real money online scratch cards in a single session.
Players should check the variance of a specific online scratch card before making any purchases. If a scratch card has low variance, it pays out often, but the sums are usually small. On the other hand, the jackpot of a high variance scratch card game will typically be much more impressive.
As a result, the main question all scratch card players should ask themselves is this: would you rather experience regular smaller wins or risk disappointment to chase a much larger sum of money?
Winning real money with online scratch cards is entirely down to chance. The only real 'strategy' scratch card players can make in this online casino game is to decide whether they play with low variance/low jackpot scratch cards or high variance/big jackpot scratch cards.
Best Scratch Card Games
People who have never tried real money or free online scratch cards are often surprised by the sheer variety offered within the genre. There are hundreds of different titles, themes and types of scratch card games out there. Most however, fall into one of the following categories:
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Instant Win Scratch Cards Online – Like the name suggests, these games involve clicking a panel to see whether or not a player has won. There are no second chances or retries; it all comes down to that one result. These scratch cards are the least complicated type of online gambling on the market today.
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Multiple Chances – Again, its name makes this scratch card game easy to understand. The game offers players multiple chances to win. In most instances, that means a winning symbol being displayed and various opportunities for players to try to match it with their own.
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Lines – This type of game is best compared with online slots, in that you need to match multiple symbols (e.g., in a row or column) in order to trigger a payout. It's very common to see 'near misses' (e.g., three matching symbols followed by a different one) in these games to build suspense.
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Casino Games – If slots don't interest you, some real money online scratch cards of this variety employ a mechanism that copies casino games like roulette, poker or blackjack. You might, for example, scratch off cards to see if your hand beats that of a blackjack dealer's.
Which Scratch Off Tickets Have the Best Odds?
We mentioned variance above, and this is closely tied with a game's odds. The lower the variance, the better the odds of winning for online scratch card players (but the smaller the typical prize). This chart outlines the relationship between the cost of tickets, potential jackpots and the odds of winning a prize:
| Ticket Type | Top Prize | Odds of Winning a Jackpot | Odds of Winning a Prize |
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| KSh 130 | KSh 1,300,000 | 1 in 700,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 130 | KSh 3,250,000 | 1 in 1,400,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 260 | KSh 3,250,000 | 1 in 825,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 520 | KSh 6,500,000 | 1 in 600,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 650 | KSh 13,000,000 | 1 in 666,667 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 650 Crosswords | KSh 13,000,000 | 1 in 1,700,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 650 10x The Cash | KSh 13,000,000 | 1 in 1,750,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 650 Live The Life | KSh 130,000 a week for five years | 1 in 750,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 780 | KSh 39,000,000 | 1 in 600,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 1,300 | KSh 65,000,000 | 1 in 500,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 1,300 25x The Cash | KSh 32,500,000 | 1 in 600,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 1,300 Live The Life | KSh 325,000 a week for five years | 1 in 525,000 | 1 in 4 |
| KSh 1,950 | KSh 130,000,000 | 1 in 1,500,000 | 1 in 3 |
| KSh 2,600 | KSh 26,000,000 | 1 in 300,000 | 1 in 2 |
Let's be clear about the following: there's nothing players can do to improve the odds of a certain scratch card. What they can do, however, is search for games that match their desired level of risk.
In the chart above, a KSh 520 ticket has the same odds of winning any prize and the same odds of winning the top prize that a KSh 780 ticket does. The difference lies in the value of the top prize – KSh 6,500,000 vs. KSh 39,000,000. The question is, would you rather have three KSh 520 tickets or two KSh 780 tickets?
In general, a player's odds of winning any prize increase substantially when they spend more on an individual scratch card. Therefore, players might prefer to save up their cash and spend it on a KSh 1,950 or KSh 2,600 ticket with odds of 1 in 3 or 1 in 2 respectively.
Free Scratch Cards Online
Although top casino sites usually let players try out most of their games for free (excluding progressive slots), we're sad to say that none of the winnings players rack up in practice mode can be cashed out. Well, at least any losses aren't real either!
With that said, there is a way to win when you're scratching for free. Bonus online scratch card winnings can, once you've cleared wagering requirements, be withdrawn as real cash. So how exactly do players claim a bonus like this?
Even the best online casinos are always eager to attract new players, and one way to do this is by offering no deposit bonuses. Straightforwardly enough, these are bonuses that can be claimed without the need to make a deposit first. Once players have one of those, they're just one step from enjoying a free bonus online scratch card.
No deposit bonuses are usually modest – in the region of KSh 1,300–KSh 2,600 – but offer a great opportunity to get an idea of games on offer at a casino site without players risking any of their own cash. Just be aware that winnings must be wagered many times over before you cash out.
FAQs
What are the best scratch cards to win on?
In terms of winning regularly, lower variance scratch cards with small jackpots are better for cash wins because they can 'afford' to pay out more regularly. For players chasing life-changing sums of money, look for big jackpot games. Test out some free online scratch cards first to get an idea of how often to expect wins.
How to win on scratch cards?
To win at scratch cards, players should find a game with the lowest odds. This will give them the greatest chance of winning real money on a scratch card. Then, follow the instructions the casino gives to reveal panels that may lead to a jackpot. Players that want to win on scratch cards for free should look for online casinos that offer a no deposit bonus or scratch card welcome bonus.
Can you win real money on free scratch cards?
Generally speaking, no. Although many casino sites will let players try scratch games for free, players will only be able to win practice credits on them. One possible exception is a no deposit free bonus. Online scratch card wins from these are available but come with wagering requirements from the casino site.
Can you win big on online scratch cards?
Absolutely. Excluding progressive slot machines, real money online scratch cards represent one of the best games to land big wins on casino sites. With jackpots of KSh 130 million ($1 million) or more, players need to spend a long time (or a bundle of cash) at the tables to match them.