How to Read a Pull Tab Ticket: Windows, Symbols and Winners

A pull tab looks simple, and it is, once you know what you are looking at. Here is how to read a ticket, step by step, and what to do when you have a winner.

The Parts of a Ticket

The front of a pull tab shows the game's name and price. The back has a row of perforated tabs, usually three to five. Under each tab is a window with a line of symbols: cherries, bells, sevens, bars, or whatever theme the game uses.

Next to the tickets you will find the flare, the game's prize chart. It shows each winning line of symbols and what it pays, plus how many of each prize are in the deal. You always read a ticket against the flare for that game.

Step 1: Open Every Window

Pull each tab all the way back. Do not stop at the first window. A ticket can win on any line, and on some games on more than one.

Step 2: Match Each Line to the Flare

Look at each window's line of symbols and find it on the flare. A line wins only if it matches a winning combination exactly, in the same order the flare shows. Three cherries might pay while two cherries and a bell pays nothing. If a line is not on the flare, it is not a winner.

Step 3: Look for Holds

Some games are seal card games. Besides the regular winners, certain tickets carry a number, name or symbol the flare tells you to hold. Those tickets are not paid right away. When the seal on the flare is opened, usually after the deal sells down, the hold that matches what is under the seal wins. Keep every ticket the flare tells you to hold until the seal is opened, and ask the seller when that will happen.

Some games also have a last sale prize: a bonus for whoever buys the final ticket in the deal. It is printed on the flare when the game has one.

Step 4: Cash In at the Same Place

Bring winning tickets to the seller at the place you bought them. Prizes are paid from that deal, so a ticket can only be cashed where its game is being sold. Large prizes can come with paperwork: the seller may ask for ID and have you fill out a form before paying.

Reading E-Tabs

Electronic pull tabs work the same way, but the tablet opens the windows and checks the lines for you. Tap to open each ticket, and the screen shows any win and adds it to your balance. When you are done, cash out your balance where you play. See how e-tabs work, or find e-tabs near you.

Quick Checklist

• Read the flare first, so you know what wins.
• Open every window on every ticket.
• Match each line exactly to the flare.
• Keep holds and winners until you are paid.
• Cash in where you bought the ticket.

Once you can read a ticket, the next step is reading the flare for value. Our guide to pull tab payouts and odds shows how to tell which games pay back more, and our tips from experienced players cover the rest.