Pull Tabs in Minnesota vs Alaska vs Iowa: How They Compare

FindPullTabs.com now covers three states: Minnesota, Alaska, and Iowa. All three have pull tabs, but the way they work — who sells them, where the money goes, and what the experience is like — varies a lot. If you've only played in one state, here's what to expect in the other two.

The Quick Comparison

Minnesota: The Pull Tab Capital

Minnesota's pull tab scene is in a league of its own. With over 2,600 mapped locations, it has more pull tab venues than Alaska and Iowa combined — by a factor of seven. The state has had charitable gaming laws since the 1980s, and pull tabs have become deeply embedded in the culture of Minnesota bars.

What makes Minnesota unique is the nonprofit-driven model. Organizations like VFW posts, American Legions, Eagles clubs, fire departments, and Lions clubs hold gambling licenses and run pull tab operations at bars. The bar provides the space and customers; the nonprofit provides the games and keeps the profits. It's a partnership that funds everything from youth hockey leagues to senior meal programs across the state.

Minnesota also has the widest variety of games. A busy bar might have 10-15 active pull tab games at once, ranging from $0.25 tickets to $5 games with $500 top prizes. The selection and volume are unmatched.

Alaska: Pull Tab Parlors and No Lottery

Alaska's pull tab scene is unique because the state doesn't have a lottery. No Powerball, no Mega Millions, no state scratch-offs. That makes pull tabs the primary form of legal gaming for most Alaskans, and the industry punches well above its weight for a state of 730,000 people.

The most distinctive feature of Alaska's market is the pull tab parlor — dedicated storefronts where the only business is selling pull tab tickets. These are common in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, and they look like small shops rather than bars. Walk in, buy tickets, play, cash winners, leave. Alaska also has widespread adoption of electronic pull tab terminals, which most locations offer alongside paper tickets.

Alaska uses a licensed operator model where professional gaming companies run pull tab operations on behalf of charities. This is different from Minnesota, where the nonprofits themselves manage the operations. The result is a more professionalized system where operators handle the logistics and charities receive a share of the proceeds.

Iowa: Lottery Pull Tabs at the Gas Station

Iowa takes a fundamentally different approach. Pull tabs aren't charitable gaming — they're lottery products sold through the Iowa Lottery's retailer network. Any licensed lottery retailer can carry them, which means you'll find pull tabs in places that would never have them in Minnesota or Alaska: gas station counters, convenience stores, tobacco shops.

The upside of Iowa's system is accessibility. You don't need to find a bar or a VFW post. If a store has the Iowa Lottery logo in the window, there's a decent chance they sell pull tabs. The downside is that the money doesn't go to a local charity you can see and touch — it goes into the state's general fund through the Iowa Lottery.

Iowa retailers typically carry fewer games than a Minnesota bar. Where a busy Minnesota venue might have a dozen active games, an Iowa gas station might have two or three. The selection is smaller, but the coverage across the state is broad — 393 locations spread across cities and small towns alike.

Which State Has the Best Pull Tab Experience?

It depends on what you're looking for:

Playing Across State Lines

If you travel between these states, here are the practical differences to keep in mind:

• The gameplay itself is identical everywhere — buy ticket, pull tabs, match symbols, win cash
• Cash-in rules are the same: redeem winners on the spot, same day, same location
• You don't need to be a resident of any state to play
• Prices are in the same range ($1-$5 most common) across all three states
• Prize sizes are comparable, with most top prizes in the $100-$500 range

The differences are all in the surrounding experience — where you buy them, how many games are available, and where the profits end up.

What's Next for FindPullTabs.com

We started with Minnesota's 2,664 locations, added Alaska's 78, and now Iowa's 393 bring our total to over 3,100 mapped pull tab locations. We're continuing to add states and locations to build the most complete pull tab directory in the country.

If you know of a pull tab location we're missing in any state, use the "Submit Location" button on our homepage to let us know.

Want to dive deeper into a specific state? Read our dedicated guides for Alaska and Iowa. New to pull tabs entirely? Start with what pull tabs are and how to play.