Whether you want to know about how all the possible play types or how to claim a prize in Kentucky, you can browse through these frequently asked questions to find the answers you are looking for.
Pick 3 is one of Kentucky’s longest-running lotteries, which requires you to choose three numbers from 0 to 9. You can choose from several different play types and even choose your wager amount.
You can play a Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Super Straight, Front Pair, Back Pair or Split Pair. Find out more about each one on the How to Play page.
No. The 1-Off wager type allowed you to win a prize even if some of your numbers were one higher or lower than the winning numbers, but this style of play was discontinued in January 2021.
There are two daily drawings – a Midday one at 1:20 p.m. followed by an Evening draw at 11:00 p.m. Ticket sales close just before the draws take place.
You can wager as little as $0.50 per play, up to $5.
Each play type has its own conditions, but to win a prize you must match all the numbers you select. If you play a Straight, you need to get all three digits in the correct positions, but for Straight, Straight/Box and Super Straight wagers, you win a prize if your numbers appear in any order.
You can win up to $600 your wager amount on a Straight, so the top prize would be $3,000 if you wagered $5. Every other play type has its own fixed prize. Go to the Prizes and Chances page to view a list of all the payouts you can win.
The odds of winning are different for each play type. Your chances of matching all three numbers in exact order are 1 in 1,000.
The Kentucky Lottery sometimes has no option but to suspend sales of particular numbers, leading to them being termed as ‘sold out’. They only have $1.5 million available to pay out in prize money per draw, and if certain number combinations are purchased often enough that this liability limit would be exceeded, the relevant number is cut off. This only usually happens for the most popular numbers, such as 777.
Pick 3 numbers are selected using a digital drawing system. This is different to a mechanical ball machine and instead uses a random number generator.
You can claim prizes by mailing your winning ticket to the Kentucky Lottery Claims Department, 1011 W Main St., Louisville, KY 40202. Alternatively, claim any winnings of up to $600 from a lottery retailer, or a larger amount from an authorized cashing agent.
The deadline is 180 days from the date of a drawing.
Most of the money raised from ticket sales, approximately two-thirds, is paid to out to prize winners. Around a fifth of the revenue goes straight back to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, providing funds for college scholarship and grant programs. The rest is used for retail commissions and administrative costs.