Part of the thrill of scratch cards is the element of pure chance, but if you know what to look for there are ways to help increase your chances of winning. Scratch cards bear many similarities to slot games in online casinos; neither can be affected by skill or knowledge, and there’s a randomness to every single game. Despite this, you can still tilt the odds in your favour and all you need is a little bit of know-how.
Return to player and hit rates are crucial
The return to player rate explains how much, on average, each game pays out; this principle applies whether it’s the slots or a scratch card. Ideally you are looking for a return to player rate of over 95%, the higher the better generally speaking. With a return to player rate of 95%, it means that for every 100p you spend, the game will pay out 95p. Of course, this is just an average and many players won’t get this back but it gives you an idea of the odds you are betting against. Hit rates are slightly different; this tells you how many times a win is likely. For the best chances you are looking for a machine with a high hit rate and a high return to player rate. The only exception is if you are only playing for big jackpot payouts; in those cases you can expect to receive a much lower return to player rate, usually reducing by as much as 20-30%.
Play Scratch cards for free
Before you start splashing the cash it’s a good idea to try out a new online scratch card for free first. This gives you the chance to make sure it’s compatible with your software as well as whether you like it, and whether there’s a decent chance of winning.
Matching your budget
There are different types of games, and some offer the opportunity to have more cards than others. What you choose is purely a matter of personal preference but the higher number of cards you have, the better your chances of notching up some kind of win. This approach doesn’t suit everyone and those who are focused on reeling in the jackpot may prefer to put all their cash onto just the one card. However, the truth is that the more cards you have to play, the better your chances of not just collecting a small payout, but also of landing the big one. How you want to play is up to you, but taking it slow and spreading your risk is generally a far better approach.
Don’t get carried away
If you haven’t had a win it’s easy to think that the scratch card “must” be due to pay out soon. But remember these are random generators and there’s no sequence or pattern. Conversely, just because you’ve collected a few wins doesn’t make you invincible, and it’s just as easy to lose everything you’ve just won. Some online casinos have limits you can put in place to stop yourself getting caught up in the moment so if you think you might find it hard to walk away it’s a good idea. Remember, online scratch cards and casinos should be fun.