Find out about various aspects of Daily 3 by looking through the frequently asked questions on this page. Learn more about purchasing tickets, how the draws work, claiming prizes and much more.
Yes. The California Lottery calls its three-digit lottery Daily 3, but in other states it is known as Pick 3. The game involves trying to match three numbers from 0 to 9.
There is one Midday and one Evening drawing every day. Ticket sales stop at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with the draws taking place immediately afterwards.
The winning numbers are selected using an automated draw machine, which generates them at random. There are two machines and one is chosen at random to be used for each draw. The machines are tested regularly to ensure they are working properly and always produce random results.
To play Daily 3, all you need to do is choose a playstyle and pick three numbers from 0 to 9.
There are three playstyles available – Straight, Box or Straight/Box. Go to the How to Play page to learn more about each method of entry.
The cost of entry is $1 per play.
To win a prize, you must match all three of the winning numbers. If you’ve played a Straight, you need to get them in the exact order, but for a Box you can match them in any order. For a Straight/Box play, you win both parts of the prize if you match the numbers in the correct order.
In California, state law dictates that all prizes must be calculated in a pari-mutuel way, with the prize money divided between winners. The payout for each draw therefore always depends on how many tickets have been sold and how many winners there are. Go to the Prizes page for more information.
Your odds of winning depend on which playstyle you have selected. The odds of matching all three numbers in the right order are 1 in 1,000.
You can claim Daily 3 prizes of up to $599 from participating lottery retailers in California. If you win a larger amount, you need to visit a Lottery District Office or claim by mail. You can mail winning tickets of any value to California State Lottery, 730 North 10th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811.
You have 180 days from the draw date to claim any Daily 3 prizes.
No. You can only claim prizes from the state lottery where you purchased your ticket.
The revenue from ticket sales is split different ways but 95 percent goes back to the community, either in the form of prize money, contributions to education, or retail commission.