Playing Pick 3 requires you to make several selections, from choosing numbers to deciding on your bet type. All the steps you need to follow are outlined below, followed by more information about the different bet types.
Draws take place daily at 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. You have until 12:53 p.m. to buy tickets for the Midday drawing, or 10:53 p.m. to enter the Evening drawing.
Select one number from 0 to 9 from each column on your playslip. Alternatively, request a Quick Pick from the retailer if you want to get a random combination.
Indicate how you want to play – Straight, Box, Straight/Box or Wheel. You can even play a Front Pair, Back Pair or Split Pair if you want to just try and match two numbers.
Decide how much you want to spend per play - the options are $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4 or $5. The prizes you can win are directly proportional to your wager amount.
Select the Midday draw, Evening draw or both. You can also enter your numbers in up to seven consecutive drawings using the Multi-Draw option.
Mark ‘Yes’ to Fireball if you would like to add this extra feature to your ticket to give you more chances to win.
Another option you can add is Instant Match, where you can win prizes of up to $500 on the spot when you buy your tickets.
To buy a ticket, you can either hand your playslip to your retailer, or use a self-service machine. The total cost depends on a number of factors – how many play areas you fill in, how many draws you enter and how much you decide to wager.
Adding Fireball also doubles the cost of a wager, while playing Instant Match costs an extra $1 per play.
The table below tells you more about the different ways you can play Pick 3 in New Jersey. You’ll also find examples of winning combinations for each type of bet.
| Bet Type | Description | Example - Numbers selected | Numbers that must be drawn to win the example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Match the winning numbers drawn in exact order | 123 | 123 |
| 3-Way Box | Choose a three-digit number with two identical digits. You win if those numbers appear in any order | 445 | 445, 454 or 544 |
| 6-Way Box | Pick three different numbers. You win if they are all drawn, regardless of the order. | 678 | 678, 687, 768, 786, 867 or 876 |
| Straight/Box - 3-Way | Two of your three numbers are the same. Half your bet goes on a Straight and half on a Box. You win if your numbers are drawn in exact and/or any order | 990 | 990 for a Straight/Box win, 909 or 099 for just a Box win |
| Straight/Box - 6-Way | All three numbers are unique. You win the full prize if your numbers are drawn exactly, or just the Box prize if they are drawn in another order | 123 | 123 for a Straight/Box win, 132, 213, 231, 312 or 321 for just a Box win |
| 3-Way Wheel | Each combination of your three digits is entered as a separate Straight, so you win regardless of which order the numbers are drawn in | 911 | 911, 191 or 119 |
| 6-Way Wheel | You win the Straight prize if any of the six possible combinations are drawn. You have to pay for each separate entry with a Wheel | 246 | 246, 264, 426, 462, 624 or 642 |
| Front Pair | Predict the first two numbers in exactly the correct positions to win | 12X | 12X |
| Back Pair | Pick two numbers which you think will be drawn in the second and third positions. | X23 | X23 |
| Split Pair | Match the first and third numbers to win | 6X6 | 6X6 |
The type of bet you play determines both your odds of winning, and also the prize you can receive. The more you wager, the more you can win, too. The top prize is 500x your wager amount, if you play a Straight. If you wager $5, you are therefore playing to win $2,500 if all your numbers are drawn in exact order. Go to the Odds and Prizes page to find out how much you can win for each bet type.