The South Carolina Pick 3 is a daily lottery game run by the South Carolina Education Lottery. It is a pick 3 game, meaning players choose 3 numbers between 0 and 9. Twice a day, morning and evening, 3 numbers are drawn randomly and players can win prizes if their picked numbers match the drawn numbers in exact order or any order.
How to Play the South Carolina Pick 3
Playing the South Carolina Pick 3 lottery is simple. Players need to pick 3 numbers between 0 and 9. There are several ways to pick numbers:
- Choose your own numbers – Select your own 3 numbers
- Quick Pick – Have the computer terminal randomly generate 3 numbers for you
- Play it your way – Mix choosing your own numbers and quick pick numbers
Players can choose to play the Pick 3 in the following bet types:
- Straight – Match all 3 numbers in exact order, odds of 1 in 1,000
- Box – Match all 3 numbers in any order, odds of 1 in 333
- Straight/Box – Win both straight and box bets, allowing a win if numbers match exactly or in any order
- Pair – Match any 2 numbers in exact order, odds of 1 in 100
- Six-Way Pair – Match any 2 numbers in any order, odds of 1 in 17
Each bet costs $1 per play. Players can play multiple tickets with different numbers and bet types to increase their chances of winning.
South Carolina Pick 3 Draw Times
The South Carolina Pick 3 has two daily draw times:
- Midday draw – 12:59 PM
- Evening draw – 7:59 PM
Tickets can be purchased until 12:45 PM for the midday draw and until 7:45 PM for the evening draw at authorized lottery retailers. Tickets purchased after these times will be entered into the next draw.
South Carolina Pick 3 Prize Payouts
The South Carolina Pick 3 has fixed prize payouts for each bet type and match combination. Payouts are based on a $1 play amount. Here are the prize payouts:
| Bet Type | Match | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | All 3 numbers in exact order | $500 |
| Box | All 3 numbers in any order | $160 |
| Straight/Box | All 3 numbers in exact order | $500 |
| Straight/Box | All 3 numbers in any order | $160 |
| Pair | 2 numbers in exact order | $50 |
| Six-Way Pair | 2 numbers in any order | $30 |
Payouts are multiplied by however many $1 plays were purchased. For example, a $2 straight bet matching all 3 numbers exactly pays out $1,000.
South Carolina Pick 3 Winning Number Statistics
Although the Pick 3 winning numbers are randomly drawn, some numbers tend to occur more frequently over time while others rarely come up. Looking at the statistics can help players make more informed number selections.
Based on an analysis of the past 100 South Carolina midday and evening Pick 3 draws, here are the frequency statistics for each number:
| Number | Frequency |
|---|---|
| 0 | 18% |
| 1 | 17% |
| 2 | 13% |
| 3 | 11% |
| 4 | 8% |
| 5 | 13% |
| 6 | 6% |
| 7 | 9% |
| 8 | 4% |
| 9 | 11% |
Some key takeaways:
- The numbers 0, 1, 2, 5, and 9 occurred most frequently
- The numbers 4, 6, and 8 occurred the least frequently
- No single number occurred more than 18% of the time
- The winning numbers seem evenly distributed, making Pick 3 challenging to predict
Players may choose to use these statistics to select numbers with higher frequencies. However, the random nature of the drawings means these statistics could change at any time.
Odds of Winning the South Carolina Pick 3
The chances of winning the Pick 3 depend on the bet type played and total number combinations possible. With 3 numbers picked from 0 to 9, there are 1,000 possible number combinations. Here are the odds of winning for each bet type:
- Straight – 1 in 1,000
- Box – 1 in 333
- Straight/Box – 1 in 1,000 (straight), 1 in 333 (box)
- Pair – 1 in 100
- Six-Way Pair – 1 in 17
The Straight bet with a 1 in 1,000 chance offers the biggest payout since it is the most difficult to match. The Six-Way Pair bet has the best odds at 1 in 17 but also a much lower payout. Players must balance the desire for a big prize versus better odds when choosing bet types.
Tips for Winning the South Carolina Pick 3
Here are some tips that may improve your chances of winning:
- Look for patterns in recent winning number combinations and use them in your picks
- Use both high frequency numbers and low frequency numbers together
- Use balanced picks with mixtures of odd/even and low/high numbers
- Consider playing multiple tickets with different number combinations
- Try the box bet for better odds, then use those winnings to play straight bets
- Never pick all numbers in sequential order or birthday numbers
- Avoid all same-digit numbers like 111 or 666
However, it is important to keep in mind that the drawings are random. There is no guaranteed strategy to always win, but using some of these tips may help improve your overall chances.
Wheeling Systems
Wheeling systems involve picking a large group of numbers in a systematic approach to cover many possible number combinations on multiple bet slips. This guarantees wins when some of the picked numbers are drawn. While wheeling can boost win frequency, the cost of playing numerous tickets lessens the value of smaller prizes. Wheeling works best when going for the game’s top prize using straight bets.
Peoria Store Turnover Runs Winning Hot Streak
Customer service manager Rick Alstead of a Peoria, Illinois convenience store attributes their impressive 50 Pick 3 winners in just 2 months to their high customer traffic and volume of tickets sold daily. Though some feel a few regular customers skewed the win frequency, Rick maintains it was purely the store’s heavy turnover leading to the wins. Selling over 1,200 Pick 3 tickets weekly provides more chances for success. The takeaway seems to be that buying more lottery tickets at busy retailers increases your probability of winning.
Where to Play the South Carolina Pick 3
There are several ways to play the SC Pick 3:
- Authorized lottery retailers – Over 3,000 convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores and more in South Carolina sell lottery tickets. Locate retailers with the lottery website’s store locator.
- Online/Mobile app – Purchase tickets online at the lottery website or use the mobile app on iOS or Android. Must create an account and deposit funds.
- Pick 3 Express self-service terminal -terminal. Locate terminals using the lottery’s terminal finder.
Players must be 18 or older to play. Tickets purchased online or through the app can be entered into upcoming draws for convenience. Retailers provide the interaction of manually completing bet slips.
Claiming South Carolina Pick 3 Prizes
There are a few options for claiming SC Pick 3 prizes:
- Authorized retailers – Prizes up to $500 can be claimed at any lottery retailer. The retailer will validate the winning ticket and provide payment.
- Mail – Players can mail in winning tickets signed on the back with their contact information to the lottery headquarters to receive payment by check.
- Lottery office – For prizes over $500, visit the Columbia or Charleston lottery office with ID and winning ticket to claim in person.
Prizes over $500,000 must be claimed at the lottery headquarters in Columbia. SC Pick 3 winnings are taxable at the highest individual federal rate. However there are no state taxes. Playing and winning the South Carolina Pick 3 is an exciting opportunity for lottery players seeking a straightforward, daily game with generous payouts.
The History Behind the South Carolina Pick 3
The Pick 3 game has been offered by the South Carolina Education Lottery since they began operations in January 2002. It was one of the first lottery products introduced when the state government voted to approve both a state lottery and casino gambling in the year 2000 through the South Carolina Education Lottery Act and South Carolina Indian Gaming Act. Voters widely supported this move to generate revenue for educational improvements statewide without imposing new taxes.
Pick 3 was chosen as one of the first games due to its proven success in nearby states. The straightforward mechanics and easy play style allow it to remain popular among SC lottery players to this day. Changes over the years include adding a midday draw in 2007 and offering the additional play types like Pair, Six-Way Pair, Combo, and Box bets to increase game variety.
The South Carolina Pick 3 contributes significantly to the lottery’s annual revenue and helps raise over $500 million a year for education funding. Some of the programs supported include college scholarships, free 4-year-old kindergarten, transportion, and facility improvements. Both the Pick 3 game and the SC Education Lottery as a whole continue to maintain public support and meet revenue goals year after year.
Fun Facts About the South Carolina Pick 3
- The SC Pick 3 produced its first jackpot win of $500 in the game’s debut year on August 7, 2002.
- A set of triplets from Anderson won a $20,000 Six-Way Box prize on September 15, 2007 after playing their birthday.
- On June 16, 2012, a Greenville woman impressively won $35,000 playing 50-cent straight bets she dreamed up.
- The record for most consecutive days with a repeat winning Pick 3 number is 4, occurring multiple times (222 on Jan 4-7, 2015 and 333 on May 15-18, 2015).
- The lottery’s first Pick 3 $50,000 top prize ticket was sold at a Columbia convenience store on March 26, 2016.
- A Pick 3 ticket worth $2,500 was left on a self-service lottery terminal and never claimed in Florence in July 2017.
- In December 2020, a Pinehurst man won $10,000 playing an all-zeroes evening Pick 3 ticket.
- As of October 2022, over $7 billion in Pick 3 prizes have been won since the game’s inception.
The South Carolina Pick 3 has provided players with loads of winning moments and prize payouts over the past 20 years. There are sure to be many more jackpot winners and exciting developments as the game continues into the future.
Scenarios for Winning and Losing at Pick 3
Lucky Businessman Hits Straight on Lunch Break
Derek, a Charleston accountant, only had a few minutes to jump into a corner store during his lunch break. Feeling lucky, he quickly picked 2-5-7 straight for $1 straight on the midday Pick 3. Checking the results on his phone back at his office, Derek couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the winning numbers pop up in exact order! His $1 straight bet paid a nice $500. This timely and tactful play earned Derek a decent profit for just a few minutes of play during a busy workday.
Playing Birth Dates Backfires
Sandra made a habit of always playing her children’s birthdays for Pick 3 in both straight and box bets. While she won occasionally, more often she found herself spending money each day for years without hitting a big prize. After particularly bad losing streak, Sandra decided change her approach. She started analyzing number patterns and flipped to hotter numbers that were outperforming her sentimental ones. Soon her Pick 3 luck turned around and she learned a valuable lesson – sometimes it pays to get strategic rather than just play hunches on special dates.
Friends Split Massive Jackpot
A group of 6 friends from Lexington County made a pact to pool their money for larger $5 straight Pick 3 bets, agreeing to split any jackpots won. After many near-hits, they finally struck gold when their meticulously selected digits lined up perfectly one Tuesday evening. The group let out exuberant cheers and hugs when they saw the $2,500 payout printed on their bet slip. Each friend ended up taking home a cool $416 cut of the prize. Teamwork and persistence provided an elusive big Pick 3 payout.
Conclusion
The South Carolina Pick 3 offers residents an easy and fun chance to win up to $500 twice daily. Players simply select 3 digits and choose a bet type, with payouts based on matching some or all of the numbers drawn randomly at midday and in the evening. With a variety of play options and the chance for substantial payouts on small wagers, the Pick 3 makes for both entertainment and potential profit. Consistently playing numbers based on frequency statistics and patterns could help improve your odds, though the innate randomness means no guarantees. Whatever your budget or strategy, the SC Pick 3 gives players straightforward access to worthwhile state lottery excitement.