Quick answer: Shop scratchcards in the UK typically cost £1, £2, £3, £5, £10 or £20. Online scratch cards can start from 10p because there is no card to print, ship or restock. A higher price buys bigger prizes, not better odds: the prize pool decides how often a card wins.
Key takeaways
- Physical scratchcards start at around £1 and rise in tiers, with £20 cards at the top of the range.
- Online cards can be sold from 10p, because the cost per play is not tied to printing and distribution.
- Price does not set your chance of winning. The win rate and prize tiers in the game's table do.
- The number that matters most is your monthly spend, not the price of a single card.
MrRaffle scratch cards start at 10p and show the prize list and remaining prizes before you play. New players can claim free tickets to try the site first.
What scratch cards cost in UK shops
Shop scratchcards are sold in price tiers. The exact mix changes as games are launched and retired, but the ladder looks like this:
| Price point | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| £1 | Entry tier. Small prizes, high win frequency relative to the price |
| £2 | The most common tier. A wider prize range than £1 |
| £3 | Mid tier, often themed games |
| £5 | Bigger top prizes, lower win frequency |
| £10 | Premium tier, larger headline prizes |
| £20 | Top of the standard range, the biggest headline prizes |
Prices are set by the operator, not the shop, and they change over time. Check the card itself for the price you are actually paying.
Why online scratch cards cost less
A physical scratchcard is a manufactured object. Someone designs it, prints it, ships it to a distributor, distributes it to shops, and pays for the unsold cards that come back. All of that is inside the price.
An online card is a game, not an object. There is no print run and no distribution, so the operator can offer the same format at a much lower price per play. MrRaffle's range starts at 10p, which is below anything you can print and sell in a shop.
That price difference does not automatically make online cards better value. It makes them cheaper per play, which is a different thing. Value depends on the prize pool behind the card, and that is published in both formats.
Does a higher price mean better odds?
No. Price and odds are separate design choices.
A £1 card can have a higher win rate than a £5 card, because the £1 card is built around frequent small prizes. A £5 card can win less often but pay more when it does. A £20 card usually has the biggest headline prize and the lowest chance of hitting it.
What actually changes with price is the shape of the prize pool:
- Low price: more small prizes, more frequent wins, modest top prize.
- Mid price: a wider spread, with a few mid-range prizes doing the work.
- High price: fewer, larger prizes, with the headline prize carrying the marketing.
So the question is not "which price is best". It is "which prize profile do I actually want". Our guide to scratch card odds explains how to read the win rate and tiers side by side.
What the extra money actually buys
Moving up a tier buys three things, in this order:
- A bigger top prize. This is the main reason premium cards exist.
- A different prize spread. More mid-range prizes, or a longer tail of small ones, depending on the game.
- A different pace. Higher prices usually mean fewer wins per session, which some players prefer and others do not.
It does not buy a better return per pound. That is set by the proportion of stakes returned as prizes across the whole game, not by the price of an individual card. The low-price end of the ladder is covered in cheap scratch cards.
Cost per month: the number that matters
Single-card prices are easy to compare and almost irrelevant on their own. What matters is what you spend over a month.
Some illustrative arithmetic, using round numbers:
| Pattern | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Two £1 cards a week | £8 |
| One £5 card a week | £20 |
| Three 50p online cards a week | £6 |
| One £20 card a month | £20 |
Same format, very different budgets. The £20 card and the £5 card can feel similar in the moment, but they are four times apart over a year.
A useful rule: decide the monthly number first, then choose the price tier that fits inside it. Doing it the other way round is how a cheap habit becomes an expensive one. If you buy in shops, note the claim deadlines before a card goes in a drawer.
How to compare value at different price points
Four checks, all published:
- Win rate. How many plays win something. This tells you how often the game pays, not how much.
- Prize tiers. What the game pays and how many of each prize exist.
- What is left. Remaining prize counts show whether the pool you are buying into still has its top prizes.
- Your budget. The only number you control.
If a card has no published prize table, that is the answer. Play a game that publishes its numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much are scratch cards in the UK?
Shop scratchcards typically cost £1, £2, £3, £5, £10 or £20, depending on the game. Online scratch cards can start from 10p. Prices are set by the operator and change as games are launched and retired.
Why are online scratch cards cheaper than shop cards?
There is no physical card to print, ship and stock, so the cost per play is lower. The game mechanics can be identical.
Are more expensive scratch cards easier to win on?
Not necessarily. Price buys bigger prizes, not better odds. A £1 card can win more often than a £20 card, with smaller amounts.
What is the cheapest scratch card you can buy?
Online, from around 10p at MrRaffle. In shops, physical scratchcards generally start at about £1, because each card is printed and distributed.
How much should I spend on scratch cards?
Whatever fits a budget you set in advance and can afford to lose. A common approach is a fixed monthly amount, decided before you play, with no top-ups.
Sources
- National Lottery Scratchcards, The National Lottery, accessed 18 October 2026
- Gambling Commission: instant win games, accessed 18 October 2026
- MrRaffle online scratch cards, accessed 18 October 2026
- MrRaffle Competition Terms and Conditions, accessed 18 October 2026
Play responsibly
MrRaffle is for UK residents aged 18 and over. Only play with money you can afford to spend, set a budget before you start, and take a break if it stops being fun.
Set the monthly number first, then pick the price tier. Claim free tickets as a new player and browse the scratch cards to see the prize list and what is left in each game.
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