Are Nevada tickets the same as pull tabs?

Yes. A Nevada ticket is another name for a pull tab: the same multi-ply paper ticket you tear open to reveal symbols and see if you won. The name is a regional nickname, not a different game.

What is a break-open ticket?

Break-open ticket is another name for a pull tab, describing the action of breaking open the perforated tabs to reveal the symbols. It is the common term in Canada and appears in a lot of official gaming rules.

Do the different names mean different odds or rules?

No. Nevada ticket, break-open, pickle card, and pull tab all describe the same predetermined, finite-deal game. Odds and payouts depend on the specific deal and its flare, not on what the ticket is called in your area.

Same game, other names

What are Nevada tickets?

If someone offered you a Nevada ticket, a break-open, or a pickle card, they were all offering you the same thing: a pull tab. The game picked up different nicknames in different places, which trips people up constantly. Here is the plain-English decoder.

They are all pull tabs

Start with the punch line: Nevada ticket, break-open ticket, and pickle card are all names for a pull tab. Same little multi-ply paper ticket, same perforated tabs you peel back, same predetermined result printed inside. The differences are regional and historical, not mechanical.

Why "Nevada ticket"?

"Nevada ticket" is a regional nickname that stuck, evoking the state most associated with gaming even though the tickets themselves are charitable gaming run by local nonprofits far from any casino. If you hear it, picture a pull tab and you are exactly right.

Why "break-open"?

"Break-open ticket" describes the physical action: you break open the sealed paper tabs to reveal the symbols underneath. It is the common term in Canada and shows up frequently in official gaming regulations, which is why you will see it on paperwork more than on the bar wall.

And "pickle card"?

In Nebraska, pull tabs are officially called pickle cards. It is the same game, just the name written into that state's charitable-gaming rules. One quick warning: a pickle card is not the same as a pickle jar, which is a container of tickets sold from a jar. The glossary keeps the two straight.

The names change, the game does not

Whatever it is called near you, the odds and payout come from the specific deal and its flare, never from the nickname. Learn to read one in how to read a flare and you can size up any of them.

Whatever you call them, find them

Now that the vocabulary is sorted, the only question left is where to play. Browse pull tabs by state or open the Pull Tab Finder app to map community-verified spots near you, no matter which name the locals use.

Nevada tickets and other names FAQ

Are Nevada tickets the same as pull tabs?: Yes. A Nevada ticket is another name for a pull tab: the same multi-ply paper ticket you tear open to reveal symbols and see if you won. The name is a regional nickname, not a different game.
What is a break-open ticket?: Break-open ticket is another name for a pull tab, describing the action of breaking open the perforated tabs to reveal the symbols. It is the common term in Canada and appears in a lot of official gaming rules.
What is a pickle card?: Pickle card is the term used in Nebraska for pull tabs. It refers to the same game, just under the name written into that state's charitable-gaming rules. Do not confuse it with a pickle jar, which is a container of tickets rather than a name for the game.
Do the different names mean different odds or rules?: No. Nevada ticket, break-open, pickle card, and pull tab all describe the same predetermined, finite-deal game. Odds and payouts depend on the specific deal and its flare, not on what the ticket is called in your area.

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