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, and the Evening draw takes place at 11:22 PM (ET). You can view the winning numbers online right after the draw, but if 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 for Midday, and 10:59 PM for Evening.
Check the table below for a breakdown of the payouts for each play type and wager amount, plus the chances of winning:
| Play Type | Example | 50¢ Play Payout | $1 Play Payout | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Match in exact order drawn | ||||
| Exact | 123 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| Any Match in any order | ||||
| 3-Way | 112 | $80 | $160 | 1 in 333 |
| 6-Way | 123 | $40 | $80 | 1 in 167 |
| Exact/Any Match in exact or any order. Exact payout includes Any. | Box Payout | Straight Payout | ||
| 3-Way | 123/112 | $80 | $330 | 1 in 333 & 1 in 1,000 |
| 6-Way | 123/112 | $40 | $290 | 1 in 167 & 1 in 1,000 |
| Combo All exact order combinations | ||||
| 3-Way | 112 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 333 |
| 6-Way | 123 | $250 | $500 | 1 in 167 |
| Pairs Match 2 numbers in order | ||||
| Front Pair | 12x | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Back Pair | x23 | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
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'.
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 Match in exact order | ||
| Exact | $180 | 1 in 357 |
| Any Match in any order | ||
| 3-Way | $60 | 1 in 122 |
| 6-Way | $90 | 1 in 345 |
| Exact/Any Exact: Match in exact order | ||
| 3-Way | $90 | 1 in 345 |
| 6-Way | $90 | 1 in 333 |
| Exact/Any Any: Match in any order | ||
| 3-Way | $30 | 1 in 122 |
| 6-Way | $15 | 1 in 62 |
| Combo All Exact combinations of a 3-digit number | ||
| 3-Way Cost:$3 | $180 | 1 in 122 |
| 6-Way Cost:$6 | $180 | 1 in 62 |
| Pairs Match two in exact order. | ||
| Front Pair | $18 | 1 in 36 |
| Back Pair | $18 | 1 in 36 |
To start playing, just choose your favorite three numbers from 0 through 9 and mark one in each column of your playslip. Alternatively, select Quick Pick and the lottery computer will randomly generate the numbers. Each play slip has room for five separate plays.
Select your play type depending on how you want your numbers to match the winning numbers drawn - we'll explain how these work later on
Decide on your bet amount: $0.50 or $1.00. 50/50 (Exact + Any) plays are always $1.00. Combo play bets cost more: the number of unique combinations for your three numbers, multiplied by the $ wager amount.
You can add the Fireball option to your Pick 3 tickets to boost your chances of winning, doubling the cost of your play. More details can be found in the Fireball section.
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.
Pick 3 features two draws every day where you can win cash payouts of up to $500. There are a variety of fun play types to try your luck on. Just choose three digits between 0 and 9 and pay $0.50 or $1 to play. The Fireball option is also available, providing more ways to win. With Fireball, an extra number is drawn and this can be used to replace any of the drawn numbers. It significantly improves the odds of winning and you just need to mark the box to add it on.
Exact Match the winning numbers in the order they're 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 combinations of your numbers are entered as Exact plays. More expensive, but better odds!
Pairs 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 play types can be further broken down into 3-Way and 6-Way plays:
The minimum age to play Pick 3, or any other lottery game in North Carolina, is 18.
Prize payouts are based on the odds of winning. For some play types, you have a better chance of winning if you pick three different numbers. For example, if you choose 123, this gives you a ‘6-Way’ combination. If you select two numbers that are the same, such as 112, it is known as a 3-Way play. As there aren’t as many possible combinations of those numbers, your payout is higher if they are drawn in any order.
Certain Pick 3 number combinations can get sold out. This happens when so many players pick the same number (often a treble such as 777), that a ‘liability limit’ is reached. If any more sales were allowed and those numbers were drawn, there would not be enough money to pay out all the winners.
Yes, you can play Fireball alongside any play type. Fireball doubles the cost of a play.
Yes, if you play in-store, but you must cancel the ticket at the same retailer terminal where you purchased it initially. Cancelations must happen within 15 minutes of the purchase time, and before the draw break for ticket sales.
All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date.
