Pick 3

Updated 14 March 2019

Please be advised the game PICK3 will be removed from the National Lottery from the 15th of March 2019 (All tickets are still available to be claimed 365 days from draw date).

Pick3 will be replaced by the new game DAILY LOTTO

PICK3 is the newest game in the South African Lottery offer. Besides Lotto, Lotto Plus, PowerBall and PowerBall Plus with draws taking place twice a week, you can now enjoy a new entertaining game of chance on a daily basis. The rules you need to follow to take part in this form of entertainment are simple and all you have to do is to get a betslip and choose three numbers you want to bet on. If you manage to guess the combination correctly, you can win up to R10,000. PICK 3 draws are broadcast every evening except for Christmas at 20:00 on ETV and you will be able to check the results right after on the Ithuba website.

To play PICK3, you need to follow six easy steps. Go to the nearest retailer and get a PICK 3 bet slip. Choose the number of draws that you want to bet on as well as a bet amount and a bet type. Now you can choose your 3 numbers or opt for Quick Pick. You can buy tickets every day by 19:30, half an hour before a draw takes place. Once you have chosen your numbers, purchase your ticket and wait for the draw results. To check if you’re a winner, you can watch the live coverage of draws on ETV, taking place at 20:00 every evening, Monday to Sunday.

There are six ways to bet and win and you can choose only one type of bet per combination. On your betslip you will notice a few boards offering you to choose 3 of 0-9 numbers with selected coupon wager. You can choose the same numbers and match them in the following ways:

• Straight–match three winning numbers in exact order.
  • Example: if results are 1-2-3, your chosen numbers must be 1-2-3 in this exact order.
• 3-Way Mix – pick 2 numbers the same and one different and match them in any order.
• 6-Way Mix – pick 3 numbers of different values and match them in any order.
• Front Pair– match the first 2 numbers.
  • For example, if results are 1-2-3, your first two numbers must be 1-2.
• Back Pair– match the last 2 numbers
  • For example, if results are 1-2-3, your last two numbers must be 2-3.
• Split Pair– match the first and the last number.
  • For example, if results are 1-2-3, your first number must be 1 and the last number must be 3.

If you happen to make a mistake while picking your numbers, you can dismiss the combination by ticking the Cancel Board. Then you can proceed to the next board and make another selection of numbers. The minimum prize stands at R150 and it is delivered for the combinations made using the Front Pair, Back Pair and Split Pairs bets. The top prize of R10,000 is won while playing the Straight bet. The minimum award you can win playing the Straight bet is R1,500. If you opt for Mix bets, you can win from R252 up to R3,400.

If a large number of players pick the same combination of numbers that are drawn by the RNG, the liability limit for PICK3 of R15 million will be reached and bets on this combination will not be allowed anymore.

You can purchase a ticket at a cost of R3, R5, R10 or R20. Keep in mind that this is only a game of chance and act responsibly. A single player can place bets of up R5,000 per draw and no more than R700 per betslip can be wagered.

So far, Ithuba does not offer an option of playing the PICK3 game online.

With PICK3 you have no more to match 6 numbers and lose to the odds of winning. The top prize might not be as big as with Lotto and other games, but the odds of winning it are 1 in 1,000 and you can enjoy the game on a daily basis. If you want just to have fun and perceive games of chance in such a way, PICK3 can be a perfect fit for you. The potential prize of R10,000 awarded for opting for the Straight bet type and matching 3 numbers in the exact order makes the game worth trying.

PICK3, as a part of the South African National Lottery, is operated by the licensed operator Ithuba. This operator holds the license for operating Lotto, Lotto Plus, PowerBall and PoweBall Plus. In addition, they offer Sportstake and Raffle, a game which is launched in October 2016 and which will be held on only on December 30, 2016. Ithuba has operated the National Lottery since 2015, after the High Court confirmed that this company is the rightful holder of the Lottery license issued by the National Lottery Commission. The people behind Ithuba claim that they are committed to optimizing and reinvigorating the consumer experience and, at the same time, to restoring faith and trust in the National Lottery.