How to Play North Carolina Pick 3
50¢ or $1 a play · Every day · 3:00 PM and 11:22 PM ET
- 1Pick 3 digits from 0 to 9, or ask for a Quick Pick.
- 2Choose Exact, Any Order, 50/50, Combo, or a Front or Back Pair.
- 3Choose 50¢ or $1 a play. 50/50 is $1 only.
- 4Add Fireball if you like. It doubles the cost.
- 5Choose Day, Evening or both, for up to 7 drawings in a row of each.
Ways to play
- ExactMatch all 3 digits in the exact order drawn.
- Any OrderMatch all 3 digits in any order.
- 50/50A 50¢ Exact and a 50¢ Any Order play on one number, for $1.
- ComboAn Exact play on every order of your digits.
- Front PairMatch the first 2 digits drawn, in exact order.
- Back PairMatch the last 2 digits drawn, in exact order.
Add-ons
- FireballDoubles the cost of a playAn extra digit drawn after each drawing that can replace any one winning digit, for more ways to win.
You must be 18 or older to buy a ticket or claim a prize. Sales stop 15 minutes before the Day drawing and 22 before the Evening. See every prize
More Pick 3 rulesExact · Any Order · 50/50 · Combo · Front Pair · Back Pair · Liability limit · Fireball · Advance Play
- Exact
- North Carolina calls it Exact. Match all 3 digits in the exact order drawn.
- Any Order
- North Carolina calls it Any Order, or Any. Match all 3 digits in any order. A number with two like digits, like 112, is 3-way, and three different digits, like 123, are 6-way: the fewer orders, the bigger the prize. A number like 111 has only one order, so play it Exact.
- 50/50
- North Carolina calls it 50/50 (Exact/Any): a 50¢ Exact and a 50¢ Any Order play on the same number, for $1, the only price it's sold at. The exact order wins both prizes, and any other order wins the Any Order prize.
- Combo
- An Exact play on every order of your digits, at 50¢ or $1 each: 3 plays for a 3-way number and 6 for a 6-way, so a Combo costs $1.50 to $6. Whichever order is drawn wins one Exact prize.
- Front Pair
- Pick 2 digits. Win if they match the first 2 digits drawn, in exact order.
- Back Pair
- Pick 2 digits. Win if they match the last 2 digits drawn, in exact order.
- Liability limit
- Pick 3 pays set prizes, so the lottery limits what it can owe on any one number in a drawing. Once a number reaches that limit, no more bets on it are taken for that drawing.
- Fireball
- A Fireball digit is drawn after each Pick 3 drawing, day and evening. It replaces each of the 3 winning digits in turn to make three more winning combinations, while your numbers stay the same. Each combination your play matches is a Fireball win, paid on top of any base prize, so one play can win more than once. Fireball doubles the cost of the play it's added to and can't be bought alone.
- Advance Play
- Choosing both Day and Evening prints two tickets, one for each drawing time. In stores, Advance Play buys specific future drawings instead of a run in a row: up to 6, not counting the current one. Online Play doesn't offer Advance Play.
Reviewed by Bishop Woosley, former Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and NASPL President.
You can't change Pick 3's odds.
You can pick better scratch-offs.
The best North Carolina scratch-offs right now have up to x73.8 better jackpot odds for $50K to $5M+ jackpots.
Every North Carolina scratch-off ranked by today's odds- The best tickets for your budget and the prize you want
- A free app, built on official North Carolina Lottery data
More for Pick 3 Players
When it’s drawn, where to cash a win, and how other games are played.
Good to know
- Before You PlayNorth Carolina Lottery Draw Times Day 3:00 PM, Evening 11:22 PM ET, every day. Sales stop 15 minutes before the Day drawing and 22 before the Evening.
- After You WinHow to Claim a North Carolina Lottery Prize Up to $599 at any lottery retailer. You have 180 days to claim.
- Keep MoreNorth Carolina Lottery Tax Calculator North Carolina taxes winnings at 3.99%. 3.99% state tax is withheld from prizes of $600 or more, plus 24% federal tax from prizes over $5,000.
How other North Carolina games are played
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about North Carolina Pick 3 rules
How do you play North Carolina Pick 3?
Pick 3 digits from 0 to 9, or ask for a Quick Pick. Choose Exact, Any Order, 50/50, Combo, or a Front or Back Pair. Choose 50¢ or $1 a play. 50/50 is $1 only. Add Fireball if you like. It doubles the cost. Choose Day, Evening or both, for up to 7 drawings in a row of each.
What are the ways to play Pick 3?
Exact: Match all 3 digits in the exact order drawn. Any Order: Match all 3 digits in any order. 50/50: A 50¢ Exact and a 50¢ Any Order play on one number, for $1. Combo: An Exact play on every order of your digits. Front Pair: Match the first 2 digits drawn, in exact order. Back Pair: Match the last 2 digits drawn, in exact order.
What is Fireball in North Carolina Pick 3?
An extra digit drawn after each drawing that can replace any one winning digit, for more ways to win.
How much is a Pick 3 ticket in North Carolina?
50¢ or $1 a play. Add-ons: Fireball (doubles the cost of a play).
How late can you buy North Carolina Pick 3 tickets?
The North Carolina Pick 3 cutoff time is 15 minutes before the Day drawing and 22 before the Evening: 2:45 PM ET for the 3:00 PM Day drawing and 11:00 PM ET for the 11:22 PM Evening drawing.
Still have questions? Email our support team
Download Free
Ready to Play Smarter?
Join 50,000+ players who've stopped guessing and started winning more. Download free—no credit card, no commitment. Your state's best games are waiting.
Free forever - No card requiredFree forever - No credit card required
Real-time odds from 41+ statesReal-time odds - Updated daily from 41+ states
Optimized for your budget & goalSmart recommendations - Optimized for your budget and goal
Find best game in 30 secondsSimple & fast - Find the best game within 30 seconds
Scan to Download
iOS & Android
100% Legal & Free Forever100% Legal & Transparent•Free forever plan available