A method of playing a lottery instant scratch ticket game comprises a plurality of scratch tickets, wherein game symbols are provided for each ticket. Each game symbol is divided into symbol sections and each symbol section is numbered and covered with a removable film. Player numbers are covered with an opaque removable film. The opaque film is removed to reveal the player symbols. The film over any numbered symbol section that matches a player symbol is removed to reveal the said symbol section. In various embodiments, a) a single symbol that is fully revealed may win a prize, (b) two or more symbols that are fully revealed may win a prize or c) two or more symbols that are fully revealed may win a prize larger than the prize of a single symbol.

A method for providing scratch-off lottery tickets for sale remote from a POS location in a retail establishment includes configuring the tickets with a game play area having play characters covered by a scratch-off coating. A print characteristic is provided in the game play area that is optically scannable but not reproducible when photocopying the game play area. In a database, identification of the printed characteristic is linked to a computer file associated with the lottery ticket at a central lottery computer. An optically scannable random identifier is also provided in the game play area and is linked to the computer file. Upon presentation of the lottery ticket for purchase, the ticket or a scanned image of the ticket is analyzed to verify that the print characteristic is present in the game play area. The scanned image of the ticket is analyzed to verify that the random identifier assigned to the lottery ticket is present in the game play area of the scanned image.

A playing card having a substrate entirely of a first predetermined colour overlaid with a removable surface coating entirely of a second predetermined colour contrasting with said first predetermined colour, said removable surface being sufficiently friable so as to be able to be scratched off by a player in a pattern predetermined by said player to reveal said substrate in said pattern. The scratched playing card uses the high contrasting colors (typically primary and secondary colors) to produce letters or image(s). These cards are interchangeably used in a strategic and non gambling card game often utilising the Stroop effect.

A direct thermal printable construct, such as a ticket, game piece, coupon, collection piece, label, security card, or voucher includes a thermally printable medium and a metallized layer bonded directly or indirectly to the thermally printable medium. A thermosensitive imaging layer of the thermally printable medium is printable by exposing the metallized layer to localized heat of a thermal printer for inducing local changes in the color of the thermosensitive imaging layer that are obscured from view through both the metallized layer and a base substrate of the thermally printable medium. One or more areas of the metallized layer are arranged to be removable by a scratching action using a fingernail or coin for revealing the underlying local changes in the color of the thermosensitive imaging layer.