Pick 3
Pick 3 is a North Carolina Lottery game with two daily draws and cash prizes of up to $500, plus a range of play styles - there's something for everyone, whether you prefer bigger prizes or better odds. Try the Fireball add-on to give yourself even more ways of winning.
Pick 3 draws are held twice every day, giving fans lots of chances to take home a payout. The Midday draw is at 3:00 PM ET, and the Evening draw takes place at 11:22 PM ET. You can view the winning numbers online right after the draw, but you'd like to watch the draws on TV, they're both broadcast at 11:22 PM. There is a break before each draw when sales are paused - 2:45 PM ET for Midday, and 10:59 PM ET for Evening.
How to Play
To start playing, just choose your favorite three numbers from 0 through 9 and mark one in each column of your playslip. Or select Quick Pick and the lottery computer will randomly generate the numbers. You can play up to five times per play slip.
For a Front Pair play, pick numbers from the first two columns only. For Back Pair, choose numbers from the last two columns.
Select your play type depending on how you want your numbers to match the winning numbers drawn - see below for details.
Decide on your bet amount: $0.50 or $1.00. 50/50 (Exact + Any) plays are $1.00. Combo play bets are determined by the amount played and your chosen numbers.
Mark whether you want to play the Midday draw, Evening draw, or Both. If you don't make a selection, you'll receive a ticket for the next available draw. If you choose Both, two tickets will print.
Select Multidraw to play up to seven draws in a row, or Advance Play to enter your numbers in up to six future draws, other than the current draw chosen.
Win the top Pick 3 prize - $500 on a $1.00 bet - if you match all three winning numbers in the exact order drawn.
Fireball
You can add the Fireball option to your Pick 3 tickets to boost your chances of winning. This doubles the cost of a play.
The Fireball is an extra number that can replace one of the drawn Pick 3 numbers. This creates more possible winning combinations. For example, if you pick the numbers 123 as an ‘Exact Order’ play, the drawn numbers are 124 but the Fireball is 3, you can replace the ‘4’ from the winning set with the Fireball number of 3, to give you a win.
It is possible to win multiple times on the same ticket, depending on the numbers you play. Fireball was introduced on September 18, 2022, spelling the end of the previous feature Sum it Up.
Play Types
Here's a rundown of the available Pick 3 play types. Different play types have different prizes and odds.
- Exact: Match the winning numbers in the order drawn.
- Any: Match the winning numbers in any order.
- 50/50 (Exact + Any): A combined Exact and Any order play on one ticket - win if your numbers match the winning numbers in Exact or Any order. If your numbers are an exact match, you win both prizes.
- Combo: All possible Exact combinations of your numbers on one ticket.
- Front or Back Pair: For Front Pair, choose one number from each of the first two columns; match them in the order drawn. For Back Pair, choose one number from each of the last two columns; match in the order drawn.
The numbers you choose determine how many ways there are to win. Any, 50/50 and Combo feature 3-Way or 6-Way plays:
- 3-Way: Choose two same and one unique numbers. For example, 112 gives three ways to win: 112, 121, 211
- 6-Way: Choose three unique numbers. For example, 123 gives six ways to win: 123, 321, 231, 213, 312, 132
Pick 3 Prizes and Odds of Winning
Check the table below for a breakdown of the payouts for each play type and wager plus the chances of winning:
| Play Type | Prizes | Odds | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50¢ Play | $1 Play | ||
| EXACT Match in exact order drawn | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| ANY Match in any order | |||
| Any (3-Way) | $80 | $160 | 1 in 333.3 |
| Any (6-Way) | $40 | $80 | 1 in 166.7 |
| 50/50 Match in exact or any order. Exact payout includes Any. | |||
| 50/50 (3-Way) | N/A | $330 (Exact) $80 (Any) |
1 in 1,000 1 in 333.3 |
| 50/50 (6-Way) | N/A | $290 (Exact) $40 (Any) |
1 in 1,000 1 in 166.7 |
| COMBO All exact order combinations | |||
| Combo (3-Way) | $250 ($1.50 play) |
$500 ($3 play) |
1 in 333.3 |
| Combo (6-Way) | $250 ($3 play) |
$500 ($6 play) |
1 in 166.7 |
| Front Pair Match first 2 numbers in order | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Back Pair Match last 2 numbers in order | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
Fireball Prizes and Odds of Winning
View the table below to find out all the prizes you can win if you add Fireball to your ticket, along with the odds of winning. The payouts are based on a $1 play.
| Play Type | Fireball Prize | Fireball Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| Exact Order | 180 | 1 in 357 |
| Any Order: | ||
| 3-Way | $60 | 1 in 122 |
| 6-Way | $30 | 1 in 62 |
| 50/50 3-Way: | ||
| Any Order | $30 | 1 in 122 |
| Exact Order | $90 | 1 in 345 |
| 50/50 6-Way: | ||
| Any Order | $15 | 1 in 62 |
| Exact Order | $90 | 1 in 333 |
| Combo: | ||
| 3-Way (costs $3) | $180 | 1 in 122 |
| 6-Way (costs $6) | $180 | 1 in 62 |
| Pairs: | ||
| Front Pair | $18 | 1 in 36 |
| Back Pair | $18 | 1 in 36 |