Pick 3 gives you more flexibility over how to play than many lotteries, but it's still really straightforward. The main steps are to select three numbers from 0 to 9, decide on a play type and choose your play amount.
There are two drawings a day - a Midday draw at 1:30 p.m. and an Evening one at 9:00 p.m. Follow the guide below to find out what to do when you fill out a playslip at a Wisconsin Lottery retailer, and learn more about the different play types further down the page.
As the name of the game suggests, you have to pick three numbers. The range of numbers is 0 to 9 – select one from each column on your playslip, or request a Quick Pick to get a random set. You can pick the same number more than once.
There are three play types to choose from in Wisconsin. Select a Straight play, a Box, or combine them with a Straight/Box. The play type you choose affects how much you can win.
You can pay $0.50 or $1 per play for a Straight or a Box. The prize amount you can win is directly proportional to how much you wager. A Straight/Box play is fixed at $1.
Select the Midday drawing, the Evening drawing, or both. You can play up to seven consecutive draws in advance, or 14 if you enter both times of day.
You have to buy your tickets before 1:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. to be eligible for the relevant draw. Make sure to check your playslip carefully before submitting it to the retailer as tickets cannot be cancelled after being purchased. You should then sign your ticket after it has been issued and keep it safe until the drawing takes place.
Keep in mind that the Wisconsin Lottery has the right to limit the number of plays that can be placed on a particular number combination. This is to ensure that every winner will definitely be paid out the advertised prize.
Each play type offers something different. A Straight has the potential to pay out the biggest prize, while a Box has much better odds. A Straight/Box combines both play types.
For a Straight play, you pick three numbers and have to match them exactly to win the associated prize. For example, if you select 567, the numbers have to be drawn in that same order. This is the play type to pick if you wish to choose a triple with three identical digits, such as 111 or 222.
A Box play is a prediction on your selected three numbers being drawn in any order. For example, if you choose 112, you win if any combination of those numbers is drawn. There are two types of Box – 3-Way and 6-Way.
Half your bet goes on a Straight and half on a Box, so you are playing for half the prize for each play type. Match all three numbers in exact order and you win both portions of the prize, but if you match them in a different order you just get the Box payout. You can still play a 3-Way or a 6-Way.
For example, if you pick 123 and the numbers drawn are 231, you miss out on the Straight part of the prize but still receive the Box payout.
If you play a Straight, you win 500x your wager amount, so it is possible to get $500 if you spend $1. The Box and Straight/Box prizes are lower but the odds are much better. The Payout depends on your type of play and the amount wagered. Go to the Prizes and Odds page to discover all the different amounts you can win.