How to Play
Playing Carolina Pick 3 is easy!
Simply follow these steps and you're ready to play!
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Pick three numbers from 0 to 9.
(Or ask for Quick Pick and let the lottery terminal pick them for you.) You can play up to five sets of numbers on one playslip. A separate ticket will print for each set of numbers.
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PLAY TYPE: Choose the way you'd like to play to match your numbers to the official numbers drawn:
- Exact Order - Selected numbers must match winning numbers in order drawn.
- Any Order - Selected numbers must match winning numbers drawn, but can be in any order.
- 50/50 (Exact/Any Order) - Combines Exact Order and Any Order plays, so that you win either way the numbers are drawn. If numbers match exactly, you win both Exact and Any Order prizes.
- COMBO - Provides an Exact Order play for all possible combinations of the numbers you selected on a single ticket.
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Decide if you'd like to play for $0.50 or $1.00.
- 50/50 (Exact/Any Order) plays can only be played for $1.00.
- Combo ticket cost is determined by amount played and the numbers selected on your ticket.
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Select the drawing time you want to play.
Choose DAY DRAW (approximately 3:00 pm) to play daytime draws only. Choose EVENING DRAW (approximately 11:22 pm) to play evening draws only. Choose BOTH DRAWS to play the next available day and evening draws. (Two separate Pick 3 tickets will be generated; one for daytime drawings and one for evening drawings.) If no draw time selection is made on the play slip, each play selected will be for the next scheduled drawing.
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Select the number of days that you would like to play your numbers.
All plays selected will be for the next scheduled (most current) drawing only, unless you choose Multi-Draw or Advance Play.
- Multi-Draw - Allows you to purchase tickets for up to 7 consecutive drawings for the EVENING DRAW including the current drawing or 7 consecutive drawings for the DAY DRAW including the current drawing.
- Advance Play - Allows you to select specific future draw days excluding the current drawing for whatever draw is chosen (DAY, EVENING or BOTH). For example, if today is Monday and you'd like to play on Wednesday, mark Wednesday under the Advance Play section and you will skip Monday and Tuesday drawings. The maximum number of future drawings using the Advance Play feature is 6.
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If you make a mistake when marking your play slip, mark the "VOID" box for that panel and go to the next one.
Check your play slip carefully before purchasing your tickets and your printed ticket immediately after purchase to ensure they are correct. It is your responsibility to make sure the ticket represents the numbers you selected and the drawing you want to enter. If a mistake has been made, your Carolina Pick 3 ticket can be cancelled by the retailer on the terminal where it was produced within 15 minutes of the purchase time or within the remaining time before the draw break, whichever occurs first.
Drawing sales cut off times are as follows:
DAYTIME - 2:45pm
EVENING - 11:00pm
All sales for Pick 3 (Daytime and Evening) stop at the cut off times and resume following each drawing.
How Much Can I Win?
Pick 3 Prize Payout Chart
| Play Types |
Prize Payout
(50¢ Base Play) |
Prize Payout
($1.00 Base Play) |
Odds 1 in: |
| 50/50 Exact match payout includes the "Exact" portion plus the "Any" portion. |
EXACT
(Exact Order) |
|
$250 |
$500 |
1,000.00 |
ANY
(Any Order) |
3-Way |
$80 |
$160 |
333.33 |
| 6-Way |
$40 |
$80 |
166.67 |
50/50
(Exact/Any Order) |
3-Way |
N/A |
$330 (Exact)
$80 (Any) |
1,000.00
333.33 |
| 6-Way |
N/A |
$290 (Exact)
$40 (Any) |
1,000.00
166.67 |
COMBO
(All Combinations
of Exact Order) |
3-Way |
$250
($1.50 Play) |
$500
($3.00 Play) |
333.33 |
| 6-Way |
$250
($3.00 Play) |
$500
($6.00 Play) |
166.67 |
What does 3-Way and 6-Way mean?
3-Way means that you have chosen a number that has 2 digits that are alike. (Example: 377) Because of that, there are only 3 ways to combine the numbers selected to match the numbers drawn, (i.e. 377 – 737 – 773).
6-Way means that you have chosen a number that has 3 different digits. (Example: 368) Because of that, there are 6 ways to combine the numbers selected to match the numbers drawn, (i.e. 368 – 386 – 638 – 683 – 836 – 863).
How to Find Out If You've Won...
Daytime drawings occur at approximately ~3:00 PM
Evening drawings occur at approximately ~11:22 PM
You can watch daily drawings at:
- This website (live stream & video replay)
- YouTube (video replay)
- TV Stations (live evening drawings only)
- WRAL - Channel 5, Raleigh
- WITN - Channel 7, Greenville, New Bern & Washington
- WAXN - TV64, Charlotte
- WXLV - Channel 45, Winston-Salem, Greensboro & High Point
- WLOS - Channel 13, Asheville
Where can I find winning numbers?
- Daily winning numbers are posted on this website once they are verified.
- Lottery Retailers Statewide
- Daily Emails from the Lucke-Zone
- NCEL Player Hotline: 877-962-7529
- TV Drawing Station Websites
How to Claim Your Winnings
SIGN THE BACK OF YOUR TICKET. The ticket is a bearer instrument until signed.
Only original tickets will be accepted to claim any prize. Prizes under $600 may be claimed at any NCEL retailer, NCEL headquarters, or any NCEL office. Prizes between $600 and $99,999.99 must be claimed at NCEL headquarters, any NCEL office, or by mail. Prizes of $100,000 or more must be claimed at NCEL headquarters. A NCEL Winner Claim Form, proper identification (ID), and the original ticket must be provided for all claims $600 or over. Proper forms of ID must verify: name, signature, age and social security number. If mailing, send required documentation to: NCEL, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629-1606. The NCEL is not responsible for lost or misdirected mail. The risk of mailing tickets remains with the player.
In accordance with NCEL prize payment policy, all online game prizes must be claimed within 180 calendar days of the drawing. A mailed online ticket must be received at NCEL Headquarters or any NCEL office within 180 calendar days of the drawing. Postmarks shall not constitute satisfaction of the 180 day requirement.
The ticket, not the play slip, shall be the only valid proof of the selections made and the only valid receipt for claiming a prize. All Lottery tickets, winners, and transactions are subject to, and players agree to be bound by North Carolina State law and to the rules, policies and procedures of the NCEL. Liability for void, altered, or misprinted tickets, if any, is limited to refund of retail sales price. The NCEL is not responsible for lost, stolen, misdirected tickets or tickets not produced due to a telecommunications and/or power interruption.
Prize winnings are subject to State and Federal taxes and any other mandatory State withholdings.
For more information please visit our How to Claim section of the website.