Quick answer
Pull-tabs are paper instant-win tickets sold in many US bingo halls, bars and veterans' clubs. You pull open perforated tabs on the back to reveal symbols, and if they match a winning combination printed on the ticket, you win a cash prize. Every box of tickets has a fixed number of winners. Most states regulate pull-tabs as charitable gaming, and the profits fund nonprofits.
| Balls | None — outcomes are pre-printed |
|---|---|
| Card | Paper ticket with perforated tabs hiding symbols |
| Free space | Not applicable |
| Most popular in | US charity bingo halls, bars and tribal venues; especially Minnesota |
| Typical game length | Seconds per ticket |
What is a pull-tab?
A pull-tab is a small paper ticket, usually about the size of a playing card, with perforated tabs on the back. You pull the tabs open to reveal rows of symbols. If a row matches one of the winning combinations printed on the front, you win the prize shown.
Pull-tabs go by different names around the country:
- Pull-tabs or pickle cards
- Break-opens or breakopens
- Instant bingo (the term Ohio uses in its charitable gaming law)
- Pull-tab bingo tickets (used in Texas charitable bingo rules)
If you’ve ever been to a church bingo night or a veterans’ club, you’ve probably seen them sold from a counter or a dispensing machine between games.
How do pull-tabs work?
- Buy a ticket. Prices range from a quarter to a few dollars, depending on the game.
- Open the tabs. Pull each perforated window to reveal the symbols behind it.
- Check for a winning line. Compare what you revealed to the winning combinations on the ticket.
- Claim your prize. Hand the winning ticket to the seller. Many venues pay small prizes on the spot.
What is a deal?
Pull-tabs are sold in deals: a box or bundle with a fixed number of tickets and a fixed set of winners, decided when the tickets are printed. The prizes for the deal are usually listed on a display card, sometimes called a flare, posted where the tickets are sold.
Because the winners are fixed, the odds change as a deal sells. If the big prizes have already been claimed, the remaining tickets are worth less. Some venues mark off claimed top prizes on the flare, so you can see what’s left.
Instant vs. event pull-tabs
Texas’s charitable bingo rules describe two kinds:
| Type | How you win |
|---|---|
| Instant pull-tab | Predetermined prizes; you know right away if the ticket wins |
| Event pull-tab | Winners are decided by a later event, such as a bingo ball drawn during the session |
Event tickets tie pull-tabs into the bingo game itself, which is one reason they’re sold in bingo halls.
What are the odds on pull-tabs?
The odds are set by the deal, not by luck in the moment. You can work out the basics yourself from the flare. Here’s a hypothetical deal to show how:
| Hypothetical deal | Value |
|---|---|
| Tickets in the deal | 2,000 |
| Price per ticket | $1 |
| Total sales if all sold | $2,000 |
| Total prizes printed | $1,600 |
| Payout to players | 80% |
| Profit to the charity | $400, before expenses |
Every deal is built so total prizes are less than total sales. That’s how the charity earns money. In Minnesota’s charitable gambling market, for example, prizes paid out were about 85% of gross receipts in fiscal 2025, across all games. Over time, players as a group lose the rest.
Pull-tabs are quick: you know whether you’ve won within seconds. That speed makes it easy to spend more than you meant to. Set a budget before you start, and see our responsible gaming page if spending is getting away from you.
Where are pull-tabs legal?
Pull-tabs are regulated by states, mostly as part of charitable gaming. Charities, churches, veterans’ groups and fraternal clubs sell them to raise money, often in the same halls that run bingo. Some states also allow sales in bars and restaurants on behalf of a licensed charity.
A few examples of how states regulate them:
| State | Regulator | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Gambling Control Board | Largest market; paper and electronic pull-tabs sold in bars and clubs for charities |
| Ohio | Attorney General (Charitable Law Section) | Called “instant bingo”; sold by licensed charitable organizations |
| Texas | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | Charitable bingo, including pull-tabs, moved from the Texas Lottery Commission to TDLR on September 1, 2025 |
On tribal land, federal law classes bingo and, when played at the same location, pull-tabs, instant bingo, punch boards and tip jars as “class II gaming” under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. That’s why many tribal bingo halls sell pull-tabs too.
Not every state allows them, and limits on prizes, prices and where tickets can be sold vary. Look up the rules on your state’s bingo laws page.
Why are pull-tabs so big in Minnesota?
Minnesota has the country’s best-known pull-tab market. The state’s charitable gambling, which also includes bingo, raffles and paddlewheels, reached about $4.9 billion in gross receipts in fiscal 2025, according to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Pull-tabs make up the vast majority of it: in fiscal 2022, paper and electronic pull-tabs together accounted for about 96% of sales.
Minnesota legalized electronic pull-tabs in 2012, as part of the law that helped fund the Minnesota Vikings stadium. They’re played on tablets in bars and have grown into a large share of the market. See our Minnesota bingo laws page for more.
Pull-tabs and bingo fundraisers
For a charity, pull-tabs can raise more than the bingo game itself, because they sell all session long and need no caller. But they are regulated gambling. A nonprofit usually needs a state license, must buy tickets from a licensed distributor and must keep records of every deal. If you’re planning a fundraiser, start with our bingo fundraiser guide and your state regulator.
Pull-tabs vs. other hall games
| Game | Skill or chance | How long it takes | Who sells it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-tabs | Chance | Seconds | Charities, bars, tribal halls |
| Bonanza bingo | Chance | Runs all session | Bingo halls |
| 75-ball bingo | Chance | Minutes per game | Bingo halls |
| Lottery scratch-offs | Chance | Seconds | State lottery retailers |
Frequently asked questions
How do pull-tabs work?
You buy a paper ticket and pull open its tabs to reveal symbols underneath. If the symbols match a winning line shown on the ticket, you win the listed prize. The winners in each box of tickets are fixed when the tickets are printed.
Are pull-tabs the same as scratch-off lottery tickets?
They're similar instant-win games, but pull-tabs are usually sold by charities, bars and bingo halls under charitable gaming laws, while scratch-offs are sold by state lotteries. Pull-tabs use perforated paper tabs instead of a scratch coating.
What are the odds of winning on a pull-tab?
Each box, or deal, has a fixed number of tickets and winners, so the odds are set in advance and are often printed on the ticket or the display card. Most tickets lose, and the prize pool is always less than the money taken in.
Are pull-tabs legal?
Pull-tabs are legal in many states when sold by licensed charities or other permitted sellers, and on tribal land as class II gaming under federal law. Some states ban or limit them. Check your state's charitable gaming rules.
What are electronic pull-tabs?
Electronic pull-tabs are digital versions played on a tablet or terminal. Minnesota allows them in bars and other licensed sites, and they now make up a large share of the state's charitable gambling sales.
Sources
- 25 U.S. Code § 2703 – Definitions (class II gaming includes pull-tabs and instant bingo)
- Minnesota Gambling Control Board – Annual Report FY2025
- Minnesota Gambling Control Board – Annual Report FY2022 (Legislative Reference Library)
- Texas Charitable Bingo – Bingo brochure (instant and event pull-tab definitions)
- Texas Bingo – Notes about recent legislative changes, October 2025 (transfer to TDLR)
- Ohio Revised Code 2915.091 – Instant bingo conducted by charitable organizations
Keep reading
Bonanza Bingo: How the Pre-Drawn Coverall Game Works
Bonanza bingo is a coverall game where most numbers are drawn before cards are sold. See how sealed bonanza cards work, how the winner is found and the odds.
Bingo in Minnesota: Laws, Halls & Online Bingo (2026 Guide)
Is bingo legal in Minnesota? How the Gambling Control Board licenses charity bingo and pull-tabs, the 18+ rule, tribal bingo halls, and online and sweepstakes rules.
How to Run a Bingo Fundraiser: Licenses, Setup, Prizes and Profit
Planning a bingo fundraiser? Learn when you need a state gaming license, how to price cards, pick prizes, staff the night and keep the money legal.
Responsible Gaming: Keeping Bingo Fun and Where to Get Help
Warning signs of problem gambling, practical tips for keeping bingo fun, and free, confidential US help lines, including 1-800-MY-RESET and Gamblers Anonymous.