Pick 3 and Pick 4 go by different names in different states, and the bet slips use shorthand that isn't always explained. Here is what each bet type means, what it pays, and how the daily draw schedules work.
Are Cash 3, Daily 3 and Pick 3 the same game?
They work the same way. You choose three (or four) digits from 0 to 9, repeats allowed, and the lottery draws that many digits in order. Only the name changes:
- Pick 3 is sold as Cash 3 in Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi; Daily 3 in Michigan, California and Indiana; Play 3 in Connecticut and Delaware; and Numbers in New York. Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and many other states call it Pick 3.
- Pick 4 appears as Cash 4, Daily 4 and Play 4 under the same pattern, and as Win 4 in New York.
Each state runs its own drawings, so the numbers are different everywhere. Tennessee's Cash 3 Midday has nothing to do with Ohio's Pick 3 Midday. Always check your own state's result.
What does a straight bet pay?
A straight bet, which some states call "exact order," wins only if your digits match in the order drawn. If you play 4-5-6 straight, the draw has to be 4-5-6, not 6-5-4.
On a $1 play in fixed-prize states, a Pick 3 straight pays $500 at odds of 1 in 1,000, and a Pick 4 straight pays $5,000 at odds of 1 in 10,000. Georgia, Florida and Texas all list $500 for a $1 Pick 3 straight, and Idaho does too. Many states also sell 50-cent plays, which pay half. California is the main exception: its Daily 3 and Daily 4 prizes are pari-mutuel, so winners share a prize pool and the amount changes from draw to draw. Our article on why California lottery prizes are pari-mutuel explains how that works.
What is a box bet, and how much does it pay?
A box bet wins if your digits come up in any order. The fewer ways your digits can be arranged, the less likely a box win is and the more it pays. Georgia's Cash 3 and Cash 4 prize charts are a good reference:
| Bet ($1) | Example digits | Prize | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick 3 straight | 1-2-3 exact order | $500 | 1 in 1,000 |
| Pick 3 3-way box | 1-1-2 | $160 | 1 in 333 |
| Pick 3 6-way box | 1-2-3 | $80 | 1 in 167 |
| Pick 4 straight | 1-2-3-4 exact order | $5,000 | 1 in 10,000 |
| Pick 4 4-way box | 1-1-1-2 | $1,200 | 1 in 2,500 |
| Pick 4 6-way box | 1-1-2-2 | $800 | 1 in 1,667 |
| Pick 4 12-way box | 1-1-2-3 | $400 | 1 in 833 |
| Pick 4 24-way box | 1-2-3-4 | $200 | 1 in 417 |
The pattern is easy to remember: a box prize is roughly the straight prize divided by the number of arrangements. Other states' amounts can differ by a few dollars, so your state lottery's prize chart is the final word. Texas, for example, also pays $160 for a 3-way "any order" Pick 3 win on $1.
Straight/box, combo and pair bets
A straight/box bet splits your wager evenly between a straight and a box. If your digits come up in exact order you win both parts; in any other order you win only the box part.
A combo buys a separate straight bet on every arrangement of your digits. A Pick 3 combo on three different digits covers six arrangements, so it costs six times the base play and pays the full straight prize whatever order the digits are drawn in.
Front pair and back pair bets, where offered, cover only the first two or last two digits. Georgia pays $50 on a $1 pair bet, at odds of 1 in 100.
Some states sell a wild-digit add-on. Florida and Texas call theirs Fireball: it doubles the cost of the play, and the lottery draws an extra digit that can replace any one of the winning digits, giving you more ways to win.
When are the midday and evening draws?
Most states draw Pick 3 and Pick 4 at least twice a day, once around midday and once in the evening. They are separate drawings with separate tickets, so a midday ticket can't win the evening draw. A few examples:
- Florida: 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. ET.
- Georgia: three draws, at 12:29 p.m., 6:59 p.m. and 11:34 p.m. ET.
- Tennessee: Cash 3 adds a morning draw to its midday and evening draws.
- Texas: Pick 3 and Daily 4 are drawn four times a day, Monday through Saturday, at 10:00 a.m., 12:27 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 10:12 p.m. CT.
- Oregon: Pick 4 is drawn four times a day, at 1, 4, 7 and 10 p.m. PT.
Each game page on our site shows that drawing's schedule and recent numbers, for example Pennsylvania Pick 3 Evening or Michigan Daily 3 Evening. You can find yours from your state's page on the homepage.
Whatever bet you choose, the odds of a particular three-digit number being drawn stay at 1 in 1,000, and 1 in 10,000 for four digits. The bet type decides how you can win and how much, not how likely the draw is to favor you.
Frequently asked questions
What does straight vs box mean in Pick 3 and Pick 4?
A straight bet wins only if your digits are drawn in the exact order you picked. A box bet wins if your digits come up in any order, and pays less, roughly the straight prize divided by the number of possible arrangements.
How much does Pick 3 pay?
In fixed-prize states such as Georgia, Florida and Texas, a $1 Pick 3 straight pays $500. A $1 box pays $80 when all three digits are different and $160 when two digits match. California's Daily 3 is pari-mutuel, so its prizes vary.
How much does a Pick 4 straight pay?
Usually $5,000 on a $1 play, at odds of 1 in 10,000. Box bets pay from $200 (four different digits) to $1,200 (three matching digits) on Georgia's prize chart.
What is the difference between midday and evening drawings?
They are separate drawings with their own tickets and winning numbers. A ticket for the midday draw can't win the evening draw, and the reverse.
Are Pick 3 numbers the same in every state?
No. Each state runs its own Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings, so Georgia's Cash 3, New York's Numbers and Michigan's Daily 3 all produce different numbers.
Sources: Georgia Lottery Cash 3 and Cash 4 prize charts; Florida Lottery Pick 3 page; Texas Lottery Pick 3 page; Idaho Lottery Pick 3 page. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
