Good things come in threes! DC 3 is a homegrown favorite District draw game where just three lucky numbers could land you a prize of up to $500. There are three draws every day, seven days a week.
Midday draws take place at 1:50 PM ET, Evening draws are at 7:50 PM ET, and Night draws follow at 11:30 PM.
The table below shows the DC-3 prizes available and the odds of winning each of them. There is the opportunity to win up to $500 on a $1 Straight bet three times every day. Whether you wager $0.50 or $1 also affects how much you can win.
| Play Type | Example | 50¢ Play Payout | $1 Play Payout | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Match in exact order | ||||
| Straight | 123 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| Box Match in any order | ||||
| 3-Way | 112 | $80 | $160 | 1 in 333.33 |
| 6-Way | 123 | $40 | $80 | 1 in 166.67 |
| Straight/Box Match in exact OR any order. Cost: $1 | Box Payout | Straight Payout | ||
| 3-Way | 112 | $80 | $250 | 1 in 333.33 |
| 6-Way | 123 | $40 | $250 | 1 in 166.67 |
| Combo All Straight combinations of a 3-digit number | ||||
| 3-Way | 112 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| 6-Way | 123 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| Pairs Match two in exact order. | ||||
| Front Pair | 12x | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Back Pair | x23 | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
DC 3 has a variety of exciting bet types to choose from – Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Combo, Front Pair, and Back Pair. Full details can be found in the Bet Types section.
Choose a lucky three-digit number from 000 to 999. Mark one digit in each column of your bet slip. Each board is one play, so you can wager up to five times on a bet slip. Want to get in the game even faster? Choose Quick Pick to have the lottery's computer randomly choose your numbers.
You have a choice of a $0.50 or $1 wager. This decision only affects the prizes available, nothing else: the prizes for $1 plays are simply twice as big as their corresponding $0.50 prizes.
Choose your draw(s) - check Day, Evening, Night, or All. Love your numbers? Multi-Draw is the easiest way to play your lucky digits for up to seven consecutive draws. Advance Play is the way to go if you want to play a future draw without making an extra trip - choose the day and draw time to play up to seven days ahead. To play multiple draws in advance, ask the clerk for your chosen start and end dates.
Purchase your tickets before the cut-off time. The total price depends on the number of plays, draws, and the wager you've chosen.
Straight - Match all three winning numbers in the exact order they are drawn.
Box - Match all three winning numbers in any order.
Straight/Box - Win both parts of the prize if you match the numbers exactly, or just the Box prize if you get the numbers in a different order.
Combination - Every combination of your numbers is entered as a separate Straight, so you win the top prize if you match the numbers in any order. You have to pay for each combination, so the ticket cost ranges from $1.50 to $6.
Pairs - For a front pair match, match the first two numbers drawn in exact order. For a back pair match, match the last two numbers drawn in exact order.
Box and Combo bet types can be 3-Way or 6-Way depending on the numbers you choose and the ways they can match the numbers drawn. A 3-Way has two identical digits and one unique digit, for example 1-1-2. A 6-Way has three unique digits, for example 1-2-3.
If you play through the DC Lottery’s iLottery service, you also have the option to add the Lucky Sum option for an extra $0.50 per play. This gives you an extra chance to win regardless of how many numbers you actually match! If the sum of the three numbers on your ticket is the same as the total of the winning digits, you receive a payout. For example, if you play 555 (sum of 15) and the winning combination is 807 (adds up to 15), you win the Lucky Sum prize.
Ticket sales close one minute before the draw time. This is 1:49 PM ET for the Day draw, 7:49 PM ET for the Evening draw, and 11:29 PM ET for the Night draw.
The minimum age to play DC 3 is 18.
All DC Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the relevant draw date.
