October 19, 2026·5 min read

Pull Tab Tips and Tricks From Experienced Players

There is no trick that finds a winning ticket, but experienced players do a few things that stretch their money and help them pick better games. Here is what works and what is just a myth.

Every pull tab in a deal is printed and shuffled before it reaches the bar, so no trick will find the winning ticket for you. What experienced players do is pick better games, keep track of what is left in a deal, and make their money last. Here is how.

Read the Flare Before You Buy

Every game has a flare: the prize chart posted where the tickets are sold. It shows the ticket price, the prizes in the deal and how many of each there are. Compare a few games before you buy. Two $1 games side by side can pay back very different amounts, and the flare is how you tell. Our guide to payouts and odds shows how to work out what a game pays, and the odds calculator does the math for you.

Watch What Is Left in the Deal

A deal has a fixed number of winners. When the big prizes are pulled, they are gone for that deal. Many booths mark off top prizes on the flare as they are won. If the top prizes are already gone, the rest of that deal pays out less than when it started. If they are still there and much of the deal has sold, the remaining tickets carry more of the prize money. Ask the seller what has been hit if you cannot tell from the flare.

Know the Game Type

Some games have many small winners: you cash in often, but for a few dollars at a time. Others have fewer, bigger prizes: you will lose more often, with a shot at a large win. Neither is better. Pick the one that fits your budget and how long you want to play. Seal card games add a second chance: some tickets are held until the seal is opened, so keep any ticket the flare says to hold. Our guide on how to read a pull tab explains seal cards and other ticket types.

Set a Budget and Keep It

Decide what you are going to spend before you start, and stop when it is gone. Do not chase losses by buying more of the same deal. Cash in small winners as you go, but count them as part of tonight's budget, not new money.

Check Every Ticket Before You Toss It

Open every window and compare each line with the flare. People throw away winners, especially on games where a single symbol or a hold number pays. Keep winning tickets until you are paid, and cash them in at the same place you bought them.

Myths That Do Not Work

Picking tickets from the top, bottom or middle of the box changes nothing. The tickets are mixed before they ship.
Thick or thin, folded or flat, a ticket's feel tells you nothing.
A game that has not paid in a while is not due. Only what is left in the deal matters, and the flare is how you know.

Play Where It Fits You

Different places carry different games, prices and e-tabs. If you like a certain kind of game, find the spots that run it. You can find pull tabs near you by city, or look for e-tabs near you.

Pull tabs are entertainment, and the profit goes to local charities. If gambling stops being fun, help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER.

Check the odds on any deal

Enter the prizes from a flare and see the real payout percentage.

→

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a trick to winning pull tabs?

No. Tickets are mixed before a deal ships, so there is no way to pick a winner by position or feel. What helps is choosing games with better payouts on the flare, watching which top prizes are left in a deal, and sticking to a budget.

Is it better to play a pull tab deal near the end?

Only if the big prizes are still in it. If the top prizes have been won, the rest of the deal pays out less. If they have not been won and much of the deal has sold, the remaining tickets hold more of the prize money. Check the flare or ask the seller.

What is a seal card pull tab?

A seal card game has extra prizes under a seal on the flare. Some tickets carry a number or symbol you hold until the seal is opened, and the matching ticket wins. Keep any ticket the flare tells you to hold.