Whether you want to know more about how the different bet types work in Pick 3, how you claim prizes, or something else, you can find out more by casting an eye over these frequently asked questions about the game.
To play Pick 3, you have to choose numbers from 0 to 9, select a bet type, and decide how much to wager. You don’t even have to pick three numbers, it is even possible just to try and match one or two numbers.
There are eight bet type to choose from – Straight, 3-Way Box, 6-Way Box, 3-Way Straight/Box, 6-Way Straight Box, First Digit, Front Pair and Back Pair. Go to the How to Play page to learn more about each bet type.
A Straight is a prediction on the three winning numbers being selected in that exact order. For a Box wager, your numbers can appear in any order.
A set of numbers that has three different digits is known as a 6-Way combination, because there are six ways those numbers can be ordered. A 3-Way combination, by contrast, has two identical numbers and one that is unique, such as 911. A combination such as this can only be arranged three ways (911, 191 and 119).
Drawings take place at 6:17 p.m. every day.
You can purchase tickets until 6:10 p.m. for that day’s drawing.
To win a prize, you have to match all the numbers you pick, according to the conditions of the bet type you choose.
The prize amount you can win depends on your bet type and your wager amount. The most you can win is $2,500 if you wager $5 on a Straight play and match all three numbers exactly. Go to the Prizes and Odds page to view all the available payouts.
For most bet types, you can purchase tickets from as little as $0.50 per play, or in increments of $0.50, up to a maximum of $5.
Yes, you can cancel Pick 3 tickets, but only if you go back to the same retailer where you bought it and only if the relevant draw has not yet taken place.
Yes, you can play the same numbers in up to 20 consecutive drawings.
No, the payout structure of Pick 3 means that everyone is guaranteed to receive the full advertised prize if they win. This has led to some draws paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars in total. However, the Minnesota Lottery can – at its own discretion - impose sales limits on certain number combinations to preserve the integrity of the prize structure.
There is no way of knowing when a number might be drawn. The odds of any particular number combination being selected are 1 in 1,000, but the outcome of previous draws has no influence on what might happen in the future.
Yes, you can buy a Pick 3 ticket if you are visiting the state, as long as you are at least 18 years old. However, you should just be aware that if you win a prize, you will need to claim it in Minnesota. It will not be possible to claim prizes in another state.
You have one year from the date of the drawing to claim prizes for Pick 3 in Minnesota.
You can claim prizes of up to $600 from authorised retailers in the state. For larger amounts, you can go to the lottery headquarters in Roseville to collect your money. Alternatively, prizes of any value can be claimed by mailing your winning tickets to the Minnesota State Lottery, P.O. Box 131000, Roseville, MN 551113.
