Quick answer: Roughly one National Lottery scratchcard in every three or four wins a prize, and every result is fixed before you scratch. A paper card's outcome is printed under the coating; an online card's outcome is decided when you buy it. Scratching, on paper or on screen, only reveals a result that already exists.
Key takeaways
- Every scratch card belongs to a fixed batch (a print run or a digital ticket pool) whose prizes were set before any ticket was sold.
- Online, the result is decided at the moment of purchase. The scratch animation is presentation, so a "near miss" means nothing.
- UK rules depend on who runs the game: the National Lottery, a licensed gambling site or a prize competition site. All of them are for adults aged 18 and over.
Want to see one in action? New players can claim free tickets and try an online scratch card without spending.
How do scratch cards work?
A scratch card is one ticket from a batch whose prizes were decided before any ticket was sold. The operator sets a prize table (how many prizes of each size), spreads those prizes across the batch at random, then sells the tickets. The coating on a paper card, or the panel on screen, just hides a result that already exists.
Three numbers define every scratch card game. Take the £5 National Lottery card called £1 Million (game 1472):
- The size of the batch: 7,214,340 cards in the initial print run.
- The prize table: 3 top prizes of £1,000,000 and hundreds of thousands of £5 and £10 prizes, adding up to overall odds of 1 in 3.21.
- The price: £5, with prizes worth 69.43% of the face value of the print run.
The theme, the symbols and the "match three" rule are decoration on top of those numbers. Our guide to scratch card odds shows how to read them for any card.
How do online scratch cards work?
Online scratch cards work the same way, with a computer holding the batch instead of a printer. When you buy a ticket, the operator's system decides the outcome and records it. The scratch animation then plays out a result that is already fixed, and nothing you do while scratching can change it.
On MrRaffle, an instant win scratch card goes through four stages:
- Before the game opens. The game gets a fixed number of tickets and a fixed prize list.
- When you buy a ticket. An outcome is allocated to your ticket at random from what is left in the pool.
- When you scratch. The reveal shows that outcome. Any prize goes to your account.
- When the game ends. It closes at a set time or when tickets run out. Unsold tickets are retired, so prizes still on them, including the headline prize, can go unwon.
Prizes can be cash, site credit or free tickets, physical items, or jackpot tickets. Not all tickets win, and cash prizes are a minority of wins.
This is standard. The National Lottery's online Instant Win Games state that the outcome of a play "is pre-determined by Allwyn's Computer System at the point of purchase", and the Gambling Commission defines an instant lottery as one where every draw takes place "either before, or at the point of, purchase".
Is the result decided before you scratch?
Yes. The result is decided before you scratch, which is why "near misses" mean nothing. Two matching symbols and a third that just misses is a design choice on a ticket that was always a loser. It is not a sign you nearly won, and it does not mean a win is on its way.
Losing several tickets in a row does not make you "due" a win either. Judge a game by its prize table, not by how exciting the reveal feels.
How are prizes and odds shown on an online scratch card?
A well-run game shows a prize table: every prize amount, how many of each exist, and the odds of each tier as "1 in X", sometimes with an overall chance of winning anything. The National Lottery's £100,000 Cash Multiplier, a £1 online game, lists a 1 in 2.95 overall chance and about 1 in 4,000,000 for its top prize.
You can work out tier odds yourself from any fixed pool. Here is a made-up game of 50,000 tickets to show how:
| Prize (made-up example) | Number in the pool | Odds per ticket |
|---|---|---|
| £500 cash | 1 | 1 in 50,000 |
| £20 cash | 25 | 1 in 2,000 |
| £2 site credit | 2,500 | 1 in 20 |
| 10 jackpot tickets | 5,000 | 1 in 10 |
| No prize | 42,474 |
In this example, 7,526 tickets win something, so the odds of any prize are about 1 in 6.6. But only 26 of those wins are cash. Read the whole table, and check whether small prizes are worth less than the ticket and whether prizes are withdrawable cash or credit.
How are online scratch cards different from shop scratchcards?
The maths is similar, but the practical details differ. A shop card comes from a print run of millions, and you check top prizes left on the National Lottery website. An online card comes from a digital pool, its result is decided when you buy, and winnings go straight to your account.
| Shop scratchcard (National Lottery) | Online scratch card | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the result is | Printed under the coating | Decided by the operator's system at purchase |
| Where to find the odds | Overall odds on the card, full prize table in the game procedures | Prize table on the game page or in the game rules |
| Buying limit | Up to 10 cards per transaction in shops | Depends on the site |
| Claiming a prize | Card must be presented to claim | Credited to your account; ID checks may apply before you withdraw |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
Are online scratch cards legal in the UK?
Yes, but under different rules depending on who runs them. National Lottery scratchcards and Instant Win Games are licensed by the Gambling Commission. Gambling sites that sell scratch card games need a Gambling Commission licence too. Prize competition sites instead offer a free entry route, which keeps their draws outside gambling licensing.
| Who runs it | What it is in law | Key rules for players |
|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery | A licensed lottery, with separate Gambling Commission licences for Scratchcards and Interactive Instant Win Games | Nobody under 18 can buy a scratchcard |
| A licensed online gambling site | Gambling, needing a Gambling Commission licence to serve customers in Great Britain | The business must ask you to prove your age and identity before you gamble |
| A prize competition site | A free draw: paid entry plus a free entry route, so no gambling licence is needed if run within the law | Free route must be genuine; DCMS's voluntary code expects 18+ only and reasonable age checks |
The Gambling Commission says a free draw can have a paid route as long as people can choose to take part without paying, the free route (first or second class post counts) is no more expensive and no less convenient, and the system that decides prizes treats both routes the same. It does not approve these draws, and one that fails the rules may be an illegal lottery.
Since 20 May 2026, operators who sign the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) voluntary code are also expected to offer play to over-18s only, explain the free route before purchase and share information on the likelihood of winning. Consumer law and the advertising codes apply to every operator.
MrRaffle is a prize competition site for UK residents aged 18 and over, with a free postal entry route set out in the competition terms and explained in our guide to free postal entry competitions. For the wider legal picture, see raffle vs prize draw vs lottery.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use a scratch card?
For a paper card, scratch off the coating in the play areas and compare what you find with the rules printed on the card, such as matching three amounts. Online, buy a ticket, then drag or tap to reveal the panel. Either way the result already exists; you are uncovering it.
How can you tell if your scratch card is a winner?
On a paper National Lottery card, the printed rules tell you how to win, but a prize is only paid once the card is validated, so ask the retailer to check it. Online, the game shows the result when the reveal finishes and adds any prize to your account.
Has anyone ever won on a scratch card?
Yes, constantly: each prize on a card that gets sold belongs to whoever bought it. Most wins are small, often just the price of the card back. Big wins are real but rare: top prizes of £100,000 or more on National Lottery cards are typically one in several million, as our scratch card odds guide shows.
What's the best scratchcard to win on?
There is no single best card, because "best" depends on what you want. For any win, compare overall odds. For a big win, compare top-prize odds and check top prizes are still available. For value, compare how much of the money goes back as prizes.
Are online scratch cards rigged?
In a legitimate game, the prize table is fixed before sale and results are allocated at random, so nobody picks who wins. Look for a published prize table, clear terms, a free entry route and a winners list. Our guide to whether instant win competitions are fixed covers the checks.
Sources
- £1 Million game procedures (game 1472), The National Lottery, accessed 24 September 2026
- £100,000 Cash Multiplier (online Instant Win Game) and its game procedures, The National Lottery, accessed 24 September 2026
- All Scratchcards (including the in-store limit of 10 per transaction), The National Lottery, accessed 24 September 2026
- Rules for Scratchcard Games, The National Lottery, accessed 24 September 2026
- Remote gambling and software technical standards: definition of terms, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Scratchcards licence, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Interactive Instant Win Games licence, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Operating licences, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Age, ID and financial verification, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Free draws and prize competitions, Gambling Commission, accessed 24 September 2026
- Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators, DCMS, accessed 24 September 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.
Ready to try one? Browse MrRaffle scratch cards, from 10p based on the game, or claim free tickets and play the free daily games first. New players also get a 25% deposit bonus + 10 free tickets on their first deposit (terms apply).
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