Same here, I started playing scratch tickets about a year ago when my wife purchased one on a whim and lost. Then I said what the hell and I bought one $5 ticket and won $35... That was the start. From there I began winning small amounts, sometimes $70 or more and making more than I spent but then of corse I would spend $40 or so on tickets and only won $8..
For the past few months I've been spending around $40 a day on scratchoffs but only because I've been winning around $30-$50 per $40 purchase so when I "spend" $40 I'm really spending the $35 I won + $5 of my own out of pocket money... Then I win another $30 and buy another $40 Worth of tickets.
My personal key is to ONLY spend $40 on tickets At a time. I NEVER scratch them at the store or in the car. I go home and take my time scratching them.
Self Control is a big factor. I have occasionally went back out in the same day and cashed in my winners to buy more but this often results in losing everything.
I had several strategies for buying tickets such as purchasing 10 tickets from the same roll, etc. but after a year of scratching I've found I win more when I just buy one or two of each ticket and buy several different tickets, a few $1, few $2, few $5.