Scratch Cards: A Neglected Casino Game Category

Published on: October 13, 2009 

Every online casino offers a few games in the category known as scratch cards. This category is usually embedded with Specialty Games or Other Games. The reason why scratch cards are not very popular is evident. They do not require any skill, as do games like blackjack and video poker. Nor do they have the glamour associated with online slot games and roulette. In terms of game mechanics they are only slightly more complex than tossing a coin and calling heads or tails.

However, they can serve a purpose. They are excellent filler games. A scratch card game can be completed within a few seconds, which is less than the time it takes for the reels to come to rest in an online slot game or for the wheel stop spinning in online roulette. Therefore players can toggle between two screens and quickly complete a scratch card game in one screen while the reels are spinning in the other. Scratch cards can be played independently as well in order to unwind or when games are loading.

In its simplest construction a scratch card functions as follows. After loading the scratch card game the player places his wager by selecting the appropriate bet denomination. He then draws a new card. The scratch card has a number of symbols. Six symbols appear randomly in each card. Some of the symbols are repeated. If the card has three like symbols then the player receives a payout, otherwise he loses his wager. Each symbol is associated with a multiplier and the player’s payout is his wager times the multiplier associated with the winning symbol. In order to make the game more interesting the symbols are initially hidden. The player has to click on the card to reveal the symbols one at a time. Most scratch cards have an auto scratch feature which reveals the symbols one at a time without the player having to repeatedly click on the card.

As in other games, scratch cards come in a wide range of packaging. At the lower end the symbols are the multipliers themselves and the packaging is simple and uninteresting. At the highest end scratch cards have many of the features of online slot games. They have a theme and the symbols on the cards reflect the theme. Audio effects and animations can also be built in to the scratch card games.

One of the most sophisticated scratch card games is Money Farm from Cryptologic. The game opens with brief background music and the chirping of baby chicken. The screen shows a coop with six doors. A hen and baby chicks are eating grass in the foreground. The farmer holding a hoe keeps looking from side to side. Players can wager from $0.25 to $20. There are nine symbols in all. These are Hen, Duck, Rabbit, Cat, Dog, Calf, Pig, Cow and Horse. The Hen multiplies winnings by 1x and the Horse multiplies winnings by 5,000x. As the player clicks on each door one of the animal symbols is revealed. The animal waves out and makes the sounds typical of its type. The payout associated with each animal is also displayed on the screen. Money Farm provides the auto scratch feature. It also provides an auto play feature. Players can select up to 99 cards and then sit back and watch the fun. The auto play feature automatically uses the auto scratch feature. As in online slot games wins are announced with appropriate audio and the farmer dances a jig.

Of late scratch cards are gaining in popularity, but more in bingo halls than in online casinos. This probably has to do with the fact that the drawing of balls in bingo takes a bit longer.

Other Recent Articles:
Casino Offers