Glossary: design
Bleed
AQuick answer
Extra printed area extending past the trim line so background color runs edge-to-edge after cutting.
Bleed is the 0.125-inch (or 3mm) buffer of extra printed art extending beyond the final card trim line. It ensures that when the cutter is off by a hair, no unprinted paper edge shows through: background color, imagery, or scratch panel runs cleanly to the edge. Every print-ready file for Mr. Scratch Off should include 0.125-inch bleed on all four sides.