How to Play Pick 3

You can play Pick 3 at any lottery retailer in Idaho, by filling in a playslip or speaking to the store clerk. Day draws take place at 1:59 p.m. and Night draws at 7:59 p.m., with ticket sales cutting off five minutes earlier. Follow the step-by-step guide below to take part in the game.

Select a wager amount
Select a wager amount

You can pay $1, $2 or $5 per play

Pick your wager type
Pick your wager type

Exact Order, Any Order, Exact/Any, Front Pair or Back Pair

Choose numbers
Choose numbers

Select one number between 0 and 9 from each column, or mark the Quick Pick option

Choose your draws
Choose your draws

Decide whether to play the Day draw, the Night draw, or both. You can also enter up to 70 consecutive draws using the Multi-Draw section of your playslip.

Add Extras
Add Extras

Add the Sum it up feature if you want to give yourself another chance to win

Purchase Tickets
Purchase Tickets

Add the Sum it up feature if you want to give yourself another chance to win

There are five play areas on a playslip, so you can submit multiple sets of numbers at a time. The total cost is calculated by multiplying the number of plays you have submitted by the number of draws you have entered and by your wager amount.

Wager Types

There are five types of wager you can select in Pick 3. The method you choose does not just determine exactly how you play, but also what prize you can get and your odds of winning.

Exact Order

With this type of wager you can pick any three-digit combination you want, even three identical numbers such as 111 or 222. The aim is to match the three numbers you pick to the three numbers that are drawn.

Any Order

You are predicting which three numbers you think will be drawn, but the order is not specified. For example, if you pick 123 and the numbers are drawn in the order 321, this would give you a win as all your numbers have been drawn.

Exact/Any Order

This splits your wager between the two play types described above. Half the money goes on an Exact Order play and half on an Any Order play. If your numbers are drawn in exact order, you win the full prize, otherwise you can still get a payout for matching them in another order.

Front Pair

Pick two numbers instead of three (one each from the first two columns of your playslip). Your numbers must be an exact match for the first two winning numbers drawn. It does not matter which digit is drawn third.

Back Pair

Exactly like a Front pair, except that you are predicting the second and third numbers to be drawn. Leave the first column blank on your playslip. The numbers you choose must be drawn in the same positions as you select them.

Sum it up!

Sum it up is an optional extra that doubles the cost of a wager. All you need to do is select the option on your playslip and it gives you another chance to win. If the sum of the three numbers drawn is the same as the sum of the three numbers you have selected, you win a prize. Go to the Sum it up! page for more details.

Payouts

There are different payouts for each play type, while the amount you can win is also directly proportional to the amount you wager. The biggest prize you can win is for matching all three numbers exactly – a $5 wager would reward you with $2,500. See the Prizes page for a list of all the payouts you can win.