Pull-tab odds calculator

How to use it

Find the flare, the little sign posted with the deal. By law, a licensed deal has to publish its numbers there. Copy three things into the calculator:

1. Tickets in the deal. The total number of tickets printed for that game.
2. Price per ticket. Usually 25 cents, 50 cents, a dollar, or two.
3. The prizes. For each prize amount, enter how many winning tickets there are at that level. Add a row for every prize tier on the flare.

The results update as you type. No sign-up, nothing sent anywhere, and it all runs right here in your browser.

What the numbers mean

Odds of winning anythingis the total winning tickets divided by the total tickets, shown as a “1 in N” chance on a fresh, full deal.

Payout percentage is the share of total sales handed back to players as prizes. Most real deals sit between 60 and 80 percent. Higher is friendlier to players.

House edgeis the flip side: the average share of each ticket's price you can expect to lose over the whole deal. A 75 percent payout means a 25 percent house edge. On pull tabs, that edge is what funds the charity.

Goes to the causeis the deal's gross profit once every ticket sells: total sales minus every prize. Out of that, the organization pays its expenses and taxes, and the rest funds whatever it exists to support.

Curious about the rest of the game, like flares, seal cards, and electronic pull tabs? Start with how pull tabs work.