The Numbers is a Rhode Island exclusive that takes pride in giving players dozens of different options for setting up their tickets. Customizing your play to suit your preferences is what makes The Numbers so fun, but it also makes it more challenging to learn. On this page, we've got a guide explaining all the different ways to play, so you can get started with confidence. Even if you've played a lot already, you might learn something new!
There are two The Numbers draws every day - the Midday Draw takes place at 1:30 PM ET and the Evening Draw is at 7:29 PM ET. For the two draws, ticket sales are cut off at 1:20 PM ET and 6:50 PM ET respectively.
Check out the different prizes available for each of the Numbers bet types, and your odds of winning a prize for each of them! All the data's displayed in the table below. Prize amounts are displayed for $0.50 and $1 plays - if you wagered more, the payout will be increased proportionately.
| Play Type | Example | 50¢ Play Payout | $1 Play Payout | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Match in exact order | ||||
| 4 Digit Straight | 1234 | $2,500 | $5,000 | 1 in 10,000 |
| 3 Digit Straight | 123X | $250 | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| 2 Digit Straight | 12XX | $25 | $50 | 1 in 100 |
| Box Match in any order | ||||
| 4 Digit 4-Way | 1112 | $625 | $1,250 | 1 in 2,500 |
| 4 Digit 6-Way | 1122 | $417 | $834 | 1 in 1,666.67 |
| 4 Digit 12-Way | 1123 | $208 | $416 | 1 in 833.33 |
| 4 Digit 24-Way | 1234 | $104 | $208 | 1 in 416.67 |
| 3 Digit 3-Way | 112X | $83 | $166 | 1 in 333 |
| 3 Digit 6-Way | 123X | $42 | $84 | 1 in 167 |
Here are the odds and prizes for the Instant Match mini-game that you can add to your ticket for an extra $1.
| Payout | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|
| $500 | 1 in 50,000 |
| $50 | 1 in 6,250 |
| $20 | 1 in 290.70 |
| $10 | 1 in 74.96 |
| $5 | 1 in 10 |
As mentioned, The Numbers has a lot of different options, all of which can and will affect your odds, prizes, and the cost of your ticket. Let's begin!
Once you've got your playslip (available at any RI Lottery retailer), we'd recommend starting by picking your bet type. In practice, this is the set of rules that determines how your numbers need to match the winning numbers in order to qualify for a prize.
You can play a Straight, a Box, or a Combo. Straight bets have the top prize but steep odds, Box bets have better odds but lower prizes, and Combo bets are Straight and Box combined, so you pay twice as much to play both.
Next, decide which digits to play, and mark them in the relevant columns. You can play all four digits, the front three, the back three, or the first two. Playing fewer digits will improve your winning odds, but decrease the prize should you win.
It's also possible to play the same digit multiple times. For Straight bets, this has no effect. For Box plays, it will reduce your odds but increase your prize.
Once you’re satisfied with your play, you need to decide how much to wager on it. The options are $0.50, $1, $2, and $5. The prizes are directly proportional to the amount you wager, so the prizes for $5 plays are simply 5x greater than the prizes for $1 plays.
There are two draws every day, the Midday draw at 1:30 PM and the Evening draw at 7:29 PM. You can mark a box on your playslip to enter your bet in either of these draws, or both of them. You can also mark the 'Weekly' box to enter your plays in the next seven Midday or Evening draws, or the 30 Days box to enter the next 30 consecutive draws. If you've decided to enter both of the daily draws, this amounts to 14 or 60 draws in total. The draw-selection options apply to all of the plays on your slip.
Instant Match is an optional add-on for The Numbers that costs $1 per play and allows players to win cash prizes up to $500 at the point of sale!
When you get your ticket, an Instant Match ticket will also print, containing your four numbers and a set of four random digits, each assigned a prize value. If any of your chosen numbers match an Instant Match number, you'll win the prize associated with it, and you can cash-in there and then. Instant Match cannot be applied to Quick Pick tickets, and cannot be canceled.
Now that you've made your selection, it's time to buy your tickets. This guide is quite long for a lottery game, but when you're filling out the slip at the store it'll probably only take 20 seconds or so. Once you've got your ticket (and checked for any Instant Match wins, if applicable), all you need to do is wait for your draw(s) to find out if you're a winner!
Here's how you win for each of the different play types…
4-Digit Straight - Choose four digits and match them in the order they're drawn.
3 Digit Straight - Choose three digits and match them in the order they're drawn. You can specify whether you want to predict the front three or back three digits.
2 Digit Straight - Choose two front digits and match them in the order they're drawn.
Combo - This play type combines a Straight and a Box, so you wager on your numbers being drawn in exact and any order.
4 Digit Box - Choose four digits and match them in any order.
3 Digit Box - Choose three digits and match them in any order. You can specify whether you want to predict the front three or back three digits.
The biggest prize you can win playing The Numbers is $25,000, by matching all four digits in order on a $5 Straight bet or by matching all four digits in any order on a Combo bet.
There are two The Numbers draws every day: the Midday drawing at 1:30 PM and the Evening drawing at 7:29 PM.
You must be 18 or older to participate in Rhode Island Lottery games.
Rhode Island Lottery prizes can only be claimed within one year of the draw date you won on. Once this limit is up, the prize will expire.
Yep, absolutely! This style of lottery is played in dozens of US states, with each state holding their own draws with their own rules, but the game's main format remains the same.
Rhode Island does things slightly differently though. Most states offer two separate games, such as Connecticut's Play3 and Play4, each having separate drawings. The RI Lottery combines these together, holding 4-digit draws only but letting players decide whether to play 2, 3, or 4-number tickets. A smart way of doing things!
