All the buzz is always about Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, but we want to show some love to another fun, more winnable game played only in Minnesota — Pick 3!
Pick 3 certainly has a loyal following in Minnesota but it tends to be a game that you either play, or you don’t. And for those of you in the latter category, we want to show you why Pick 3 is so loved. Let’s start with three main reasons:
1) Its flat payout structure
2) Ticket cost as low as fifty cents
3) Daily drawings at 6:17 p.m.
But let’s face it. Pick 3 can be confusing to new players. With several ways to play and win, it’s no surprise that it’s our most complicated lotto game. So, we’re here to uncomplicate things for you.
Me Trying to Understand Pick 3
BET TYPES
Did you know Pick 3 gives you the chance to choose your own odds? Wait … what? That’s right, there are eight different bet types to choose from, allowing you to pick the option with your desired odds. The type of bet placed appears at the top of your ticket:
First Digit: Pick one number. To win, match the first number drawn.
Front Pair: Pick two numbers. To win, match the first two numbers drawn in the exact order.
Back Pair: Pick two numbers. To win, match the last two numbers drawn in the exact order.
Straight: Pick three numbers. To win, match all three numbers drawn in the exact order.
3-Way Box: Pick three numbers, two that are the same. To win, match all three numbers drawn in any order.
6-Way Box: Pick three different numbers. To win, match all three numbers drawn in any order.
Straight/3-Way Box: Pick three numbers, two that are the same. To win $330*, match all three numbers drawn in the exact order. To win $80*, match all three numbers drawn in any order.
Straight/6-Way Box: Pick three different numbers. To win $290*, match all three numbers drawn in the exact order. To win $40* match all three numbers drawn in any order.
PRIZE STRUCTURE
Here are the prize payouts and odds of winning based on a $1 bet:
| Match | To Win | Approx. Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | $500 | 1 in 1,000.00 |
| Straight/3-Way Box | $330/$80 | 1 in 1,000.00/1 in 333.33 |
| Straight/6-Way Box | $290/$40 | 1 in 1,000/1 in 166.66 |
| 3-Way Box | $160 | 1 in 333.33 |
| 6-Way Box | $80 | 1 in 166.66 |
| Back Pair | $50 | 1 in 100.00 |
| Front Pair | $50 | 1 in 100.00 |
| First Digit | $5 | 1 in 10.00 |
WHAT IS A PICK 3 QUICK-PICK?
The most popular bet type in Minnesota is a Straight/6-Way Box bet. Why? Because it’s the default quick pick option. A Pick 3 quick pick is $1, with $0.50 put on a Straight bet and $0.50 put on a 6-Way Box bet, leading to two potential prize payouts:
- If a ticket matches all numbers in the order they were drawn, you win $290, or
- If a ticket matches all numbers drawn in any order, you win $40.
There are two main bet types: a straight bet (correct order, correct numbers) and a box bet (correct numbers, any order).
The table below breaks out the bet types, amount won, and winning combinations for a common ticket: a $1.00 bet with the numbers 4-8-5:
BET TYPE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Straight | 6-Way Box | Front Pair | Back Pair | First Digit | |
| Amount Won | $500.00 | $80.00 | $50.00 | $50.00 | $5.00 |
| With Combinations | 4-8-5 | 4-8-5 | 4-8-1 | 1-8-5 | 4-X-X |
4-5-8 | 4-8-3 | 2-8-5 | |||
8-4-5 | 4-8-3 | 3-8-5 | |||
8-5-4 | … | … | |||
5-4-8 | |||||
5-8-4 | |||||
See the six winning combinations under the Six-Way Box bet? A Three-Way Box is the bet to make if you have two of the same number, since only three
unique combinations can be made. (1-1-2, 1-2-1, and 2-1-1) A Three-Way Box bet has a payout of $160 from a $1 ticket.
COMBINATION CALL-OUTS
The most-drawn number combination is 4-8-5, appearing 25 times since Pick 3 (formerly known as Daily 3 debuted in 1990.
The Minnesota Lottery has had 114 triple numbers drawn since Aug. 14, 1990 when the first Pick 3 drawing occurred:
| Combo | # Times Drawn | |
| 0-0-0 | 6 | |
| 1-1-1 | 14 | |
| 2-2-2 | 8 | |
| 3-3-3 | 11 | |
| 4-4-4 | 16 | |
| 5-5-5 | 15 | |
| 6-6-6 | 18 | |
| 7-7-7 | 8 | |
| 8-8-8 | 10 | |
| 9-9-9 | 8 | |
| 114 |
Minnesota Lottery highest-ever total payout amounts
| Combo | Date | Amount |
| 1-2-3 | 11/30/2018 | $441,658 |
| 3-6-9 | 8/22/1990 | $401,660 |
| 6-6-6 | 2/21/2017 | $368,293 |
| 6-6-6 | 4/4/2019 | $299,343 |
| 1-1-1 | 12/6/2019 | $283,443 |
| 4-4-4 | 7/25/2019 | $274,668 |
| 6-6-6 | 8/12/2017 | $260,973 |
| 5-5-5 | 2/19/2014 | $257,168 |
| 2-2-2 | 3/2/2014 | $236,040 |
| 8-8-8 | 12/14/2018 | $233,730 |
| 7-7-7 | 2/20/2016 | $232,770 |
| 3-3-3 | 4/6/2018 | $230,798 |
| 3-3-3 | 7/1/2016 | $226,140 |
| 5-5-5 | 8/14/2018 | $223,930 |
| 4-4-4 | 7/30/2015 | $216,080 |
| 1-2-3 | 4/6/2016 | $208,238 |
| 6-6-6 | 1/4/2013 | $206,870 |
| 8-8-8 | 3/28/2016 | $191,223 |
| 5-5-5 | 3/25/2019 | $189,108 |
| 5-5-5 | 11/6/2015 | $188,780 |
Thanks for taking the time to learn the ins and outs of Pick 3. Looking for even more information? Hop on over to the Pick 3 game page. Next time you’re headed to your local lottery retailer grab a play slip (or ask for a quick pick) to get started.