Scratchcard fever has hit Portugal hard, with revenue from ticket sales jumping from €48 million in 2008 to €376.5 million in 2012.
And just this year, from January 1 to September 30, revenue from the ‘Raspadinhas’, as the scratchcards are called in Portugal, reached a staggering €436.9 million.
Launched in 1995, ‘Raspadinhas’ have slowly but surely been gaining popularity in Portugal, already ahead of the ‘Totoloto’ game but still behind the Euromillions, which remains the most popular lottery in the country.
With the financial crisis affecting so many Portuguese families, it is no wonder that more people are opting to try their luck with the ‘Raspadi-nhas’, which cost from €1 per ticket.
In January, a new scratchcard, called ‘Mini Pé-de-Meia’ (which translates loosely as ‘Mini Nest Egg), was launched, offering ticket purchasers the chance to win €500 per month for five years. Each ticket costs €1.
However, for €5 per ticket, the ‘Super Pé-de-Meia’ scratchcard holds a prize of €2,000 per month for 12 years for the lucky winner.
