Everything You Need To Know About the New Pick 3 Game
Last Updated: Friday 17th July 2020, 09:54
Pick 3, the new twice-daily lottery, launched this week, with the first draw taking place on Tuesday 14th July. It offers prizes of up to £500 and you only have to pick three numbers to win.
The game arrives with a host of innovative features and you can choose your numbers exclusively online. The format of the game may not be familiar to UK lottery fans yet, but similar ‘Pick’ games have been enjoyed in the U.S. for many years and remain very popular.
How Pick 3 Works
Draws take place twice a day at 1:00pm and 6:00pm. Three winning numbers are selected in a draw - these are all between 0 and 9 – and it is your task as a player to try and predict the winning digits.
Instead of just picking a set of numbers like a regular lottery, though, you have extra options in Pick 3. For example, you can decide whether to bet on your numbers appearing in a specific order or in any order.
If you want to bet on an exact order, this is known as a ‘Straight’. There are 1,000 different three-digit number combinations from 000 to 999. Each of the three numbers is selected from a separate pool of 0 to 9, so it is possible to see the same number twice – or even three times – in the same draw.
Alternatively, you can place a ‘Box’ bet, which is where your three numbers can appear in any order. If you pick 123, for example, and the winning numbers are 231, you would win if you placed a Box bet but not with a Straight.
There are a few other types of bet too. With a Straight/Box, you split your bet in two so that half goes on one type of wager and half on the other. The advantage here is that you win both parts of the bet if your numbers come up in the order you specified, but you still win the Box portion if they appear in another order.
A Combo bet is a quick way to bet on all the Straight variations of three numbers. This means your chances of winning are the same as if you played a Box with these same numbers, but the payout would be higher. You should just be aware that a Combo costs more because you are paying the full entry cost for each combination.
Another option is a Pairs bet. Rather than picking three numbers, select either the front two or the back two. You need to match them exactly, with both digits in the right places, to win. Visit the Pick 3 Information page to find out more about how to play each type of bet.
Prizes and Cost of Entry
In Pick 3, you can decide on your bet amount. This directly determines how much you can win, along with which play type you have selected. The options for most bet types are £0.50 or £1.
The top prize on the game is £500 - which is available if you place a £1 Straight bet. Here’s a rundown of the awards on offer for each type of entry, assuming you have bet £1. If you wager £0.50, the return will be half the stated amounts.
- Straight - £500
- Box (3-way) - £160
- Box (6-way) - £80
- Straight/Box (3-way) - £80/£330
- Straight/Box (6-way) - £40/£290
- Combo - £500
- Pair - £50
A 3-way bet is one in which two of your numbers are the same, for example 1,1 and 2. This term is used because there are three ways in which those numbers could appear - 112, 121 and 211.
A 6-way bet refers to any selection where all three numbers are different, for example 1, 2 and 3, because there are six possible combinations of those digits - 123, 132, 213, 231, 312 and 321.
If you win a prize, you will be alerted by email straight away because the game is available exclusively online. You will never miss out on your money as it will be paid into your player account automatically. Visit the official Pick 3 website to find a wealth of information about the game and pick your numbers for the next draw.
