Quick Answer
SC Pick 3 is a twice-daily draw game from the South Carolina Education Lottery. You pick three digits from 0–9, choose a play type (Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Combo, or Pairs), and pay 50¢ or $1 per play. Draws happen every day at 12:59 p.m. (Midday, not on Sundays or Christmas) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening). The top prize is $500 for a $1 Straight match, and the optional FIREBALL add-on gives you extra ways to win for double the ticket price.
What Is SC Pick 3?
Pick 3 is South Carolina’s oldest and simplest draw-style lottery game, run by the South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL). Instead of chasing a jackpot that might take months to hit, Pick 3 draws a fresh three-digit number twice every day, so there’s a new round of results to check almost every few hours.
The mechanics are deliberately simple: three digits, each between 0 and 9, are drawn at random. You try to match those digits using whichever play type suits how much risk you want to take on. That simplicity is exactly why the game has stayed popular for decades — there’s no need to learn complicated rules before buying your first ticket.
Every dollar spent on SC Education Lottery games, including Pick 3, contributes toward the lottery’s education funding mission in South Carolina, which supports scholarships and other education programs in the state.
How to Play SC Pick 3
Playing Pick 3 takes about a minute at any authorized South Carolina Lottery retailer — convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores are the most common spots to find a terminal.
Here’s the basic process:
- Pick up a play slip at the retailer, or ask the clerk for a quick pick.
- Choose your three digits, each from 0 to 9, or mark “Quick Pick” to let the terminal generate random numbers for you.
- Select a play type — Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Combo, or Pairs (explained below).
- Choose your wager — 50¢ or $1 per play, depending on the play type.
- Pick your draw time — Midday, Evening, or Both. If you leave this blank, your ticket is automatically entered into the next available drawing.
- Decide on FIREBALL — an optional add-on that doubles your ticket cost but adds more ways to win.
- Sign the back of your ticket as soon as you receive it. This protects you if the ticket is lost or stolen.
You must be at least 18 years old to purchase a Pick 3 ticket in South Carolina.
Pick 3 Play Types Explained
This is the part that trips up new players the most, so it’s worth slowing down here. Each play type changes your odds and your potential prize.
Straight — Your three digits must match the drawn numbers in the exact order. This is the hardest way to win, but it pays the most: up to $500 for a $1 play.
Box — Your three digits just need to match the drawn numbers in any order. Box plays come in two versions:
- 3-Way Box: used when your number has two matching digits and one different digit (like 2-2-5). There are three possible winning arrangements.
- 6-Way Box: used when all three digits are different (like 1-4-7). There are six possible winning arrangements, which is why the prize is smaller than a 3-Way Box for the same wager.
Straight/Box — A combined bet: half your wager goes on Straight, half on Box, for a fixed $1 total. If you match the exact order, you win both portions. If you match in any other order, you only collect the Box portion.
Combo — This is the same as buying every possible Straight combination of your three digits in one purchase. A 3-Way Combo (two matching digits) costs $1.50 or $3. A 6-Way Combo (three different digits) costs $3 or $6. You’re guaranteed to win the Straight prize if any arrangement of your digits is drawn, but you pay for that certainty.
Front Pair / Back Pair — Instead of picking three digits, you pick two. Front Pair matches the first two numbers drawn in exact order; Back Pair matches the last two. This gives you better odds than a full three-digit match, with a smaller prize to match.
There’s no single “best” play type — it depends on whether you’d rather chase a bigger prize at longer odds (Straight) or a smaller, more frequent prize at shorter odds (Pairs).
SC Pick 3 Prizes and Odds
All Pick 3 prizes are fixed amounts set by the South Carolina Education Lottery — the payout doesn’t shrink even if lots of other people win the same drawing. Here are the official base-game figures, according to SCEL’s published prize chart:
| Play Type | Odds | 50¢ Play Prize | $1 Play Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 1 in 1,000 | $250 | $500 |
| Box (3-Way) | 1 in 333 | $80 | $160 |
| Box (6-Way) | 1 in 167 | $40 | $80 |
| Front Pair / Back Pair | 1 in 100 | $25 | $50 |
| Combo | 1 in 333 (3-Way) / 1 in 167 (6-Way) | Prize equals a winning Straight play for each combination purchased | — |
| Straight/Box | 1 in 333 (3-Way) / 1 in 167 (6-Way) | Straight portion + Box portion combined | — |
A useful way to think about the odds: the lower the “1 in X” number, the better your statistical chance of winning something, but the lower the payout tends to be. Straight is the toughest bet at 1,000-to-1, while Front/Back Pair gives you a 1-in-100 shot, which is why it pays far less.
All prizes up to and including $500 can be redeemed at any authorized South Carolina Lottery retailer. Since Pick 3’s top prize is exactly $500, you’ll never need to visit a claims center just to collect a Pick 3 win — though you can if you prefer.
What Is FIREBALL?
FIREBALL is an optional add-on that doubles the cost of your Pick 3 ticket in exchange for extra ways to win. After each regular drawing, the lottery draws one additional number from 0 to 9 — the FIREBALL number. That number can replace any one of the three digits actually drawn, creating alternate winning combinations.
For example, if the drawn numbers are 6-0-8 and the FIREBALL number is 4, you’d also win if your ticket matched 4-0-8, 6-4-8, or 6-0-4 (each FIREBALL number can substitute for one position at a time). Any prize you win through FIREBALL is paid in addition to whatever you win from the base game — it never replaces your regular prize, it only adds more opportunities on top of it.
FIREBALL can be added to any Pick 3 play type. Because it effectively multiplies your winning combinations, it also raises your odds of winning something on a given drawing — the official odds and prize amounts for each FIREBALL combination are published on SCEL’s FIREBALL prize chart, which is worth checking before you decide whether the extra cost fits your budget.
Pick 3 INSTANT WIN Promotion
As of publication, South Carolina is running a limited-time INSTANT WIN promotion on select Pick 3 purchases. Certain tickets print with an instant $10 prize that can be cashed immediately at the retailer, without waiting for a drawing. According to the official SCEL game page, the odds of getting an INSTANT WIN prize are 1 in 100, and the promotion is scheduled to run through October 3, 2026.
Promotions like this come and go, so treat this as time-sensitive information rather than a permanent feature of the game. Check the official SC Education Lottery Pick 3 page directly before you buy if you want to confirm whether an active promotion is still running.
Draw Times, Days, and Sales Cutoffs
Pick 3 draws twice a day, every day, with one exception:
- Midday draw: 12:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday. There is no Midday draw on Sundays or on Christmas Day.
- Evening draw: 6:59 p.m. Eastern Time, every single day, including Sundays.
Ticket sales close shortly before each drawing — 12:45 p.m. for the Midday draw and 6:45 p.m. for the Evening draw. If you’re buying close to a cutoff, don’t assume you’ll make it; retailers can’t sell or reprint a ticket for a drawing that’s already closed. Evening drawings are aired live on South Carolina’s local television partner stations, while Midday results are not televised.
Multi-Draws and Advance Play
If you don’t want to buy a new ticket every day, Pick 3 lets you lock in the same numbers for multiple future drawings on a single purchase. You can play up to 14 consecutive drawings if you choose only Midday or only Evening, or up to 28 consecutive drawings if you select Both. There’s also an Advance Play option, which lets you enter a drawing on a specific future date rather than starting from today.
This is a convenience feature, not a strategy that changes your odds — each drawing is still an independent, random event regardless of how many you’ve queued up in advance.
How to Check Your Numbers
The most reliable place to check SC Pick 3 results is the official South Carolina Education Lottery website, which posts Midday and Evening winning numbers, along with the FIREBALL number, right after each drawing. You can also call the lottery’s automated results line, watch the Evening draw live on a local TV partner station, or check with any Pick 3 retailer terminal, which can scan your ticket and tell you instantly whether it won.
How to Claim a Prize
Claiming a Pick 3 prize is straightforward because every prize tier tops out at $500:
- Any winning amount can be redeemed at any authorized South Carolina Lottery retailer.
- You can also visit the Columbia Claims Center in person, or mail your signed winning ticket to SC Education Lottery, P.O. Box 11039, Columbia, SC 29211-1039.
- You have 180 days from the draw date to claim a Pick 3 prize. After that window closes, the prize is forfeited.
- Prizes are typically paid out in cash, store check, or money order at the retailer level.
- Sign the back of your ticket before you present it for validation — this protects you if the ticket is lost, and it’s required for a smooth claims process.
If you live outside South Carolina but bought (or won) a South Carolina Pick 3 ticket, you still have to collect your prize from the South Carolina Lottery specifically. You can’t redeem an SC ticket through another state’s lottery, even if that state runs its own Pick 3 game.
SC Pick 3 vs. SC Pick 4
South Carolina also runs a companion game called Pick 4, which works the same way but with an extra digit.
| Pick 3 | Pick 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Digits drawn | 3 (0–9 each) | 4 (0–9 each) |
| Straight odds | 1 in 1,000 | 1 in 10,000 |
| Top prize (Straight, $1 play) | $500 | $5,000 |
| Draws per day | 2 (Midday & Evening) | 2 (Midday & Evening) |
| FIREBALL add-on | Available | Available |
The trade-off is simple: Pick 4 offers a much bigger top prize, but the odds against hitting it are ten times longer than Pick 3’s. Some players choose Pick 3 for more frequent smaller wins and Pick 4 for a shot at a bigger payout.
Common Mistakes New Players Make
A few avoidable errors show up again and again with new Pick 3 players:
- Confusing Box and Straight. A Box ticket pays less than Straight specifically because it’s easier to win — matching in any order is a much bigger net than matching in exact order.
- Missing the sales cutoff. Showing up at 12:50 p.m. hoping to get into the 12:59 p.m. draw won’t work; sales close 14 minutes before each drawing.
- Forgetting FIREBALL doubles the cost. It’s easy to add FIREBALL out of habit without registering that a $1 play becomes a $2 play.
- Not signing the ticket. An unsigned ticket that’s lost or stolen is much harder to protect, since anyone holding it could attempt to claim it.
- Letting a ticket expire. The 180-day claim window is generous, but tickets do get forgotten in glove compartments and jacket pockets.
Playing Responsibly
Pick 3, like every lottery draw game, is entirely random. No pattern of past numbers, “hot” or “cold” digit trends, or betting system changes the odds of any single drawing — each draw is an independent event. Treat Pick 3 as a small, occasional form of entertainment rather than a financial plan, and only spend what you’re comfortable losing.
If gambling stops feeling like entertainment and starts feeling like something you can’t control, South Carolina offers free, confidential support. You can call the state’s problem gambling helpline at 1-877-452-5155 or visit PlayResponsiblySC.com for more resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the top prize in SC Pick 3?
The highest prize is $500, paid when you place a $1 Straight play and match all three digits in the exact order drawn.
How much does it cost to play Pick 3?
Most play types cost 50¢ or $1 per play. Combo plays cost more, ranging from $1.50 to $6 depending on how many combinations you’re covering. Adding FIREBALL doubles whatever your base ticket costs.
What time are the SC Pick 3 drawings?
Midday draws happen at 12:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Saturday. Evening draws happen at 6:59 p.m. Eastern Time, every day of the week, including Sundays.
Is there a Pick 3 drawing on Sundays?
Yes, but only the Evening drawing. There is no Midday drawing on Sundays or on Christmas Day.
How long do I have to claim a Pick 3 prize?
You have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim your prize.
Can I play the same numbers for several days in a row?
Yes. You can select up to 14 consecutive drawings for a single draw time, or up to 28 if you choose Both Midday and Evening, all on one ticket.
What’s the difference between Straight and Box play?
Straight requires your digits to match in the exact order drawn, which pays more. Box only requires the same digits in any order, which pays less but is easier to win.
Does FIREBALL replace my regular prize?
No. Any prize you win through FIREBALL is paid on top of your base-game prize, not instead of it.
Do I have to live in South Carolina to play or claim a Pick 3 prize?
You don’t have to be a South Carolina resident to buy a ticket at an in-state retailer or to claim a South Carolina prize, but you do have to claim it through the South Carolina Education Lottery specifically, regardless of where you live.
Conclusion
SC Pick 3 stays popular for a simple reason: it’s easy to understand, it draws twice a day, and it gives players several ways to shape their own risk and reward through the different play types. Whether you go for the long-shot $500 Straight prize or the shorter odds of a Pairs play, the mechanics behind every drawing are exactly the same — three random digits, drawn fresh, twice a day. If you decide to play, treat it as a small daily habit rather than a strategy for guaranteed winnings, keep track of your ticket’s draw time and claim window, and check your numbers directly against the official South Carolina Education Lottery results after each drawing.
