The Main Rules of Pick 3
Playing the lottery just doesn’t get any simpler than Pick 3. All you have to do is choose three numbers from a guess range of 0 to 9 and you are on your way to winning one of the many amazing prizes. You can choose how many draws you want to enter and expand your chances of becoming a winner. Now let us tell you about the excellent features of the Pick 3 lottery!
Pick 3 Lottery Draws vs. Traditional Lottery Draws
Most lotteries out there host weekly or bi-weekly draws, which offer players one and respectively two chances each week to win the prizes in the game. But with Pick 3, you get so many more chances to win each and every single week.
There are 4 Pick 3 draws every day, six days a week, which means that instead of 1 or 2 chances to become a winner, you get as many as 24 per week. When you pick your three numbers for the game, you can also choose how many draws you want to participate in and even the specific time of day you want to play.
You can play Pick 3 every day from Monday to Saturday at 10:00 A.M., 12:27 P.M., 6:00 P.M., and 10:12 P.M. CT. You can purchase your tickets for the upcoming Pick 3 draws during the draw breaks or you can buy them in advance.
How To Play Pick 3
To make things simple for you, we have summarized the entire process of playing Pick 3 in five easy steps. Just follow this easy plan to get your ticket in for the fabulous Pick 3 lottery:
Step 1
Choose your three single-digit numbers from 0 to 9. Remember that you can choose three different numbers for your line (239, 038, 494) or you can repeat one of the numbers if you feel that it is the lucky one. (292, 330, 288)
Step 2
If you got this far, you are already on your way to entering the Pick 3 lottery. The next thing you have to do is select how you want to play. Here are the four options available:
- Straight – you have to guess the three winning numbers in the exact order that they are drawn in.
- Box – regardless of the order they are drawn in, if you match the three winning numbers, you are eligible for the prize. Here are the two Box options:
- 3-Way Box – Play with a 3-digit number with 2 identical digits (e.g. 399, 393, or 339)
- 6-Way Box – Play with a 3-digit number with 3 unique digits (e.g. 398, 389, 839, 893, 983, or 938)
- Straight/ Box – for this Pick 3 ticket deal, you get two tickets, so whether you match the winning numbers in the exact order they are played in or not, you are eligible for the prize.
- Wheel – with this Pick 3 ticket deal, you get to play all the possible Straight combinations of your chosen numbers and increase your chances of becoming a winner. You win if you match the numbers in any order.
- 3-Way Wheel – Play with a 3-digit number with 2 identical digits (e.g. 399, 393, and 339)
- 6-Way Wheel – Play with a 3-digit number with 3 unique digits (e.g. 398, 389, 839, 893, 983, and 938)
- Pairs – for this Pick 3 play option, you have to choose 2 numbers only. Your aim is to match the first two winning numbers (Front Pair), the last two numbers (Back Pair), or the first and last (Split Pair).
Optional Add-Ons
Fireball – this is an optional play feature that creates more winning combinations for your game. It gives you the opportunity to replace one of the drawn Pick 3 numbers with the Fireball number. It doubles the cost of the ticket but it gives you a significant boost. All you have to do is mark Fireball on your payslip and you are one step closer to winning Pick 3.
Instant Match – This is yet another amazing feature available for NJ Pick 3. For only $1.00 extra for your ticket, you can win up to $500 on the spot.
How To Play Pick 3 Instant Match
- When you purchase your Pick 3 ticket, you have to tick the Instant Match box.
- Your Instant Match numbers will be chosen automatically for your ticket – you will have an extra 3 Instant Match numbers on your ticket.
- If the randomly chosen Instant Match numbers match the Pick 3 numbers you’ve chosen for your ticket, then you win the Instant Match prizes.
- Even if only one of your numbers matches the Instant March numbers, you win.
- If all of your three numbers match the Instant Match numbers, then you win all the Instant Match prizes.
Instant Match Prize | Odds |
$500 | 1 in 75,000 |
$100 | 1 in 25,000 |
$50 | 1 in 2,000 |
$20 | 1 in 200 |
$10 | 1 in 65 |
$5 | 1 in 37 |
$2 | 1 in 10 |
Please note that the Instant Match feature is not available with Quick Pick tickets and Multi-Draw pack
Step 3
You are one step closer to entering the Pick 3 lottery now. But before you can put in your ticket, you have to select the amount you want to play. Please note that the prizes in the game are set according to this amount. We will tell you all about that in the Pick 3 prize section.
Step 4
As we have mentioned above, you can enter Pick 3 draws in advance so that you don’t have to spend your days chasing draw breaks. If you opt for the Multi-Draw deal, you can play your three numbers for up to 24 consecutive draws.
These 24 draws can include all the draws of the day (morning, day, evening, or night) or if you only want to play a specific draw time, you can select your desired draw time on your ticket. This means that you have to select only morning, only day, only evening, or only night on your Multi-Draw ticket.
The Prizes in the Pick 3 Lottery
Depending on the amount you play in the Pick 3 lottery, as well as the play options you choose, you stand to win some amazing prizes. Take a look at the following table to find out all the amazing prizes you can get by simply choosing the right three numbers!
Play Option | Odds | Drawn Numbers | Pick 3 Prize |
Straight | 1 in 1000 | Must be exactly 398 | $250.00 |
Box * 3-Way Box * 6-Way Box |
1 : 333
1 : 167 |
399, 393, or 339
398, 389, 839, 893, 983, or 938 |
$80.00
$40.00 |
Straight/ Box | Exact order match – win Straight + Box
Any order match – – win Box |
$250.00 + $80.00/ $40.00
$80.00/ $40.00 |
|
Wheel * 3-Way Wheel * 6-Way Wheel |
1 : 333
1 : 167 |
399, 393, or 339
398, 389, 839,893, 983, or 938 |
$250.00
$250.00 |
Pair * Front Pair
* Back Pair * Split Pair |
1 : 100
1 : 100 1 : 100 |
First 2 numbers
Last 2 numbers First and Last number |
$25.00
$25.00 $25.00 |
Typical lotteries offer one large jackpot and several second prizes. Instead of getting one or two chances a week to these prizes, the Pick 3 lottery gives you exponentially better chances of winning a pretty penny.
As you can see in the table above, the prize divisions in the Pick 3 lottery are set according to the amount of money you play and your play option. While the prizes are smaller than typical lottery prizes, the spectacular odds of winning make Pick 3 well worth the investment.
If you want to give your game a boost, you can play Pick 3 with Fireball. Here is the Fireball prize list:
Play Option with Fireball | Odds | No. of Winning Combinations | Pick 3 Fireball Prize |
Straight | 1 : 333 | 3 | $91.50 |
Box * 3-Way Box * 6-Way Box |
1: 111
1: 56 |
9 18 |
$30.50
$15.00 |
Straight/ Box |
3 9 /18 |
$250 + $80/ $40
$80/ $40 |
|
Wheel * 3-Way Wheel * 6-Way Wheel |
1: 111
1: 56 |
9 18 |
$91.50
$91.50 |
Pair * Front Pair
* Back Pair * Split Pair |
1 : 33
1 : 33 1 : 33 |
3 3 3 |
$9.00
$9.00 $9.00 |
The Odds of Winning the Pick 3 Prizes
Depending on the play option you choose, you get different odds of winning the Pick 3 lottery. While the Wheel for two like numbers provides you with a great 1 in 333 chance to win the Pick 3 prize, the Wheel for three different numbers offers you a staggering 1 in 167 chance of scooping the $250 or the $500 prize.
With such impressive odds, you simply cannot miss the Pick 3 lottery. Even the cheapest ticket can score you an amazing prize in this fantastic game, which makes it one of the most advantageous games out there! So, pick your three numbers and you could be the next big winner!