How to Play Ohio Pick 3
50¢ or $1 a play · Every day · 12:29 PM and 7:29 PM ET
- 1Pick 3 digits from 0 to 9, or ask for a Quick Pick (Auto Pick).
- 2Choose a bet: Straight, Box, Straight/Box (Back-Up) or Combo (Wheel).
- 3Or bet on 2 digits: a Front Pair, Back Pair or Split Pair.
- 4Choose 50¢ or $1 a bet.
- 5Choose Midday, Evening or both, for up to 14 drawings in a row.
Ways to play
- StraightMatch all 3 digits in the exact order drawn.
- BoxMatch all 3 digits in any order.
- Back-UpA Straight and a Box on the same number, at twice the bet.
- WheelA Straight 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.
- Split PairMatch the first and last digits drawn, in exact order.
You must be 18 or older to buy a ticket or claim a prize. Sales stop 4 minutes before each drawing. See every prize
More Pick 3 rulesStraight · Box · Back-Up · Wheel · Front Pair · Back Pair · Split Pair · Liability limit · Prizes
- Straight
- Match all 3 digits in the exact order drawn.
- Box
- Match all 3 digits in any order. A number with a repeated digit, like 112, is a 3-way box, and three different digits, like 123, a 6-way box: the fewer orders, the bigger the prize. A number like 111 can only be played Straight.
- Back-Up
- Ohio calls this a Back-Up bet: a Straight and a Box on the same number, each at your bet, so a 50¢ Back-Up costs $1 and a $1 Back-Up costs $2. The exact order wins both prizes, and any other order wins the Box prize.
- Wheel
- Ohio calls this a Wheel bet: a Straight on every order of your digits, at 50¢ or $1 each, so 3 plays for a 3-way number and 6 for a 6-way. Whichever order is drawn wins one Straight 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.
- Split Pair
- Pick 2 digits. Win if they match the first and third 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.
- Prizes
- On days the lottery chooses, it can raise the Straight prize to as much as 750 times the bet, and hold extra drawings.
Reviewed by Bishop Woosley, former Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and NASPL President.
You can't change Pick 3's odds.
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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 PlayOhio Lottery Draw Times Midday 12:29 PM, Evening 7:29 PM ET, every day. Sales stop 4 minutes before each drawing.
- After You WinHow to Claim an Ohio Lottery Prize Every Pick 3 prize: sign it and cash it at any lottery retailer.
- Keep MoreOhio Lottery Tax Calculator Pick 3’s $500 top prize: nothing withheld. Tax is withheld from prizes of $600 or more.
How other Ohio games are played
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about Ohio Pick 3 rules
How do you play Ohio Pick 3?
Pick 3 digits from 0 to 9, or ask for a Quick Pick (Auto Pick). Choose a bet: Straight, Box, Straight/Box (Back-Up) or Combo (Wheel). Or bet on 2 digits: a Front Pair, Back Pair or Split Pair. Choose 50¢ or $1 a bet. Choose Midday, Evening or both, for up to 14 drawings in a row.
What are the ways to play Pick 3?
Straight: Match all 3 digits in the exact order drawn. Box: Match all 3 digits in any order. Back-Up: A Straight and a Box on the same number, at twice the bet. Wheel: A Straight 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. Split Pair: Match the first and last digits drawn, in exact order.
How much is a Pick 3 ticket in Ohio?
50¢ or $1 a play.
How late can you buy Ohio Pick 3 tickets?
The Ohio Pick 3 cutoff time is 4 minutes before each drawing: 12:25 PM ET for the 12:29 PM Midday drawing and 7:25 PM ET for the 7:29 PM Evening drawing.
Still have questions? Email our support team
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