Pick 3 Lottery Guide

Pick 3 is a fast-paced lottery game available in most states, sometimes under different names like Cash 3 and Daily 3.

Read on to learn how to play Pick 3 online safely and legally, where to buy Pick 3 tickets in every state, how the various wagers work, and the odds of winning.

In short, the following Pick 3 lottery guide will break it all down in simple terms so players can buy Pick 3 tickets online or in person with confidence.

Buy Pick 3 Tickets Online

Pick 3 Overview

Unlike most lottery games, Pick 3 gives players more control by allowing them to choose the prize level they want to aim for.

Pick 3 payouts are smaller than those of most lottery games, but twice-daily drawings and numerous wagering options give players plenty of opportunities to rack up wins (and losses, so please play responsibly.)

First of all, Pick 3 is simpler than it looks. Most official state lottery describe Pick 3 poorly and make it look more complicated than it really is.

One caveat: Pick 3 rules vary in some states. Available wager amounts, types of bets, wager names, and payouts may vary slightly from state to state, but the general concept is consistent across the board. See the links included on this page to visit your state lottery’s Pick 3 page directly for more info.

How to Play Pick 3

Play 3 is a daily draw game where players make three selections:

• Three numbers, each from a range of 0-9*
• An amount to wager ranging from $0.50 to $5.00**
• A type of wager to place

In each drawing, the lottery draws three numbers, each from a pool of 0-9.

Players win money if the lottery’s numbers fulfill the win conditions of the wager they placed.

For example, a player who selects the numbers 5-7-8 and chooses a straight bet (picking the winning numbers in order) wins if the lottery draws 5-7-8 in that exact order.

^{*There are one thousand possible combinations, ranging from 000 to 999}

^{**Available wager amounts vary in some states}

Pick 3 Wager Options

Players can choose from a menu of Pick 3 wagers with varying odds and payouts. The more difficult a wager is to win, the higher it pays.

How to Mark Pick 3 Tickets

Most state lotteries offer multi-panel tickets, with each panel representing one entry into the next drawing or series of drawings. A standard Pick 3 ticket looks something like this:

In each panel, you make the following selections:

• Play Type: The type of wager you want to place
• Amount: Amount to wager on the selections in this panel
• Draw Time: Whether you want to play the next mid-day or evening draw (ticket automatically enters the next drawing if you leave this area blank)
• Numbers: Select one number from each column; leave one or more columns blank and select “QP” for random selections
• Days: Select a number of days if you wish to play in all consecutive draws for more than one day
• Fireball: If your lottery offers a Pick 3 add-on, mark this box (may be named something else) to activate it for an additional cost
• Quick Picks: The standalone Quick Picks box on the left generates five random selections (one for each panel) with a $1 straight bet into the next drawing ($5) or into the next mid-day and evening drawing ($10)

Important: In some cases, the numbers you select help determine which type of wager you will place.

For example, note how the Pick 3 example ticket above has an option labeled “box” but doesn’t specify whether it’s a 3-way box or 6-way box.

If you mark the “box” option on your ticket, you differentiate whether you want a 3-way or 6-way box by the numbers you select:

• If your pick includes two identical numbers (e.g., 5-5-7), you are picking a 3-way box
• If your pick includes all unique digits (e.g., 5-7-8), you are picking a 6-way box

See the first column in the types of wagers table above for how to differentiate between various wager variants.

Lottery Pick 3 FAQ