History Of Scratch Cards

By Author: Mikey
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Scratch cards are one of the most popular forms of gaming entertainment available online, being a relatively new concept in the general history of gambling. Scratch cards incorporate extremely simple gaming methods with instant results and great payouts.

The Very Beginning

While scratch cards as we know them today were invented around forty years ago, they are actually based on a lottery type format where players have to correctly guess certain numbers in order to win. While nobody can pinpoint the exact date of the invention of the lottery, it is safe to say that this game, in various shapes and forms, was played as far back as in the days of ancient China.

The First Scratch Cards

In 1974, computer programmer extraordinaire John Koza teamed up with Daniel Bower to form the Scientific Games Corporation. The fledgling company’s first breakthrough came after it commissioned a contract with the Massachusetts Lottery Commission. The duo wanted to improve on the Lottery’s pick-six type game that essentially had players select six numbers and wait up to a week to see if they had won.
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Koza and Bower therefore created the first prototype for a scratch card, with the main aim being to provide player with instant results. Using an algorithm to ensure absolute randomness, the scratch card became an instant hit and the inventors were given place of honor in the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame as the first true creators of scratch cards.

Lottery Popularity

Seeing the revenues of Massachusetts Lottery soar thanks to the new scratch cards, other lotteries introduced their own versions. An improvement on the original version was introduced by Cal Tigner in 1985 who invented the Take a Ticket plastic dispenser that would push sales up even higher.

Scratch Cards in the UK

Scratch cards officially moved across the big pond in 1985 when the UK’s National Lottery introduced them. Scratch card jackpots have been known to pay out millions of pounds in the UK and their popularity is undisputable.

Move to the Internet

With scratch cards being so popular offline, it was only natural that when technology allowed it, scratch cards would make their way to the wonderful world of the internet. When online gambling hit the scene in the mid 1990s, scratch cards made a seamless transfer, bringing these games to the fingertips of literally millions of players. Suddenly, these players could enjoy quick and simple gaming choices with instant results, and the chance to win impressive sums.

Today, online scratchcards can be found at all popular online casinos and are a huge hit at online bingo sites as well.

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