The steps below show you how to play Pick 3. It’s a really simple game to enjoy, but there are a few decisions to make to help you play in the way that you want. You can find out about all the different play types further down the page.
Pick three numbers from 0 to 9, or get a random Quick Pick. Each digit is drawn from a separate field, so the same number can come up more than once in a draw.
Specify your play type – Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Combo, Front Pair, or Back Pair.
You can pay $0.50 or $1 for most play types. For Straight/Box, there is a fixed cost of $1 per play.
Fireball gives you more chances to win. Adding this option doubles the cost of a play
You must select the draw time – MID or EVE – that you want to play. If you leave this unmarked, you will automatically be entered into the next available draw. You can also choose to enter up to 14 consecutive days.
Make sure to purchase your tickets before sales close at 1:19 p.m. or 9:34 p.m. You can then check to see what happens in the draws at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
There are six different ways to play. Straight plays offer big prizes, Box plays offer good odds, and there are other options in between. The play type you choose directly determines the prizes you are playing for.
Also known as an Exact Order play, this type of wager requires you to match the winning numbers in the correct positions. For example, if you play 123, the winning numbers have to appear as 123. If they were drawn in another order, such as 132, your wager would be lost.
If you select a Box play, the three numbers you pick can appear in any order and you would win the associated prize for your play amount. The prize on offer also depends on whether you play a 3-Way or a 6-Way box:
A Straight/Box play splits the cost of your ticket in two, with $0.50 going on a Straight and $0.50 on a Box. If the winning numbers are in the same places as the ones you have selected, you win both portions of the play. If they are all drawn in a different order, you win just the Box part of the play.
If you select a Combo, it costs more as you are submitting a series of Straight plays on your three selected numbers. For example, if you play the numbers 1-2-3 as a Combo, this gives you three Straights at a cost of $3 ($0.50 per play) or $6 ($1 per play).
You only need to select two numbers from 0 to 9 for a Front Pair play. This a prediction on the first two winning numbers in that exact order. For example, if you select 1-2-X and the winning numbers are 1-2-5, you would win, but you would lose if the numbers were 2-1-2.
This is a prediction on the second and third winning numbers. If you’re filling out a playslip, leave the first column blank, select numbers from the second and third columns, and choose the ‘Back Pair’ method. Again, you have to match them in the correct order.
Fireball is an exciting add-on feature which gives you more chances to win. You just need to mark the Fireball option on your playslip or request it from the retailer, and pay the extra fee. You could then win a prize even if all your numbers do not appear in the main draw. Find out more on the Fireball page.
To win a prize, you need to match the numbers as specified by the conditions of your play type. You would not win on a Straight play, for example, if your selected numbers came up in a different order to the one you had selected. Go to the How to Win page for more information, and to find out all the prizes you can win for each play type.