Pennsylvania's Pick games (Pick 2, Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5) are some of the most flexible lottery games available. Unlike jackpot games where you just pick numbers and hope they match, Pick games let you choose how you want to win. That flexibility is one of the things that makes them popular, but it also confuses a lot of players who aren't sure what to ask for at the counter.
This guide covers every play type available across the PA Lottery Pick game family, with concrete examples so you know exactly what you're buying.
How Pick Games Work
In Pick games, you select one digit per position, where each digit can be 0 through 9. Pick 3 has three positions, Pick 4 has four, and so on. Unlike ball-draw games, digits can repeat (7-7-7 and 0-0-0-0 are both valid entries). The draw selects one digit per position, and you win based on how well your selection matches the drawn digits and which play type you chose.
The numbers you generate here at PA Lottery Generator give you the digit selections. Your play type, which determines how you can win, is chosen at the counter when you buy the ticket.
Straight Play
A Straight play is the simplest and highest-paying play type. Your digits must match the drawn digits in exact order. If you play 4-1-7 Straight in Pick 3, you win only if the draw comes out 4-1-7.
| Game | Straight odds | Prize on $1 wager |
|---|---|---|
| Pick 2 | 1 in 100 | $50 |
| Pick 3 | 1 in 1,000 | $500 |
| Pick 4 | 1 in 10,000 | $5,000 |
| Pick 5 | 1 in 100,000 | $50,000 |
Notice the pattern: every additional digit position multiplies the odds by 10 (since each digit is drawn from 0–9) and the prize by 10 as well. The payout rate is identical across all Pick games on a per-wager basis.
Box Play
A Box play wins if your digits appear in the drawn result in any order. Instead of needing an exact match, you just need the right set of numbers. Box is less restrictive than Straight but pays a smaller prize.
The number of possible orderings, and therefore the odds and prize amount, depend on how many of your digits are the same.
Pick 3 Box Examples
| Box type | Example | Orderings | Odds | Prize on $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-way (all different) | 1-2-3 | 6 | 1 in 167 | ~$80 |
| 3-way (one pair) | 1-1-2 | 3 | 1 in 333 | ~$40 |
Pick 4 Box Examples
| Box type | Example | Orderings | Odds | Prize on $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24-way (all different) | 1-2-3-4 | 24 | 1 in 417 | ~$100 |
| 12-way (one pair) | 1-1-2-3 | 12 | 1 in 833 | ~$50 |
| 6-way (two pairs) | 1-1-2-2 | 6 | 1 in 1,667 | ~$25 |
| 4-way (one triple) | 1-1-1-2 | 4 | 1 in 2,500 | ~$18 |
Box with all-different digits is the most common form and gives you the most orderings to win with. Box with repeated digits gives you fewer win combinations and therefore a smaller prize, but is still valid to play.
Straight/Box
Straight/Box splits your wager equally between a Straight bet and a Box bet on the same numbers. At a $1 wager, you're effectively betting $0.50 Straight and $0.50 Box.
- If your digits match in exact order, you win both the Straight portion and the Box portion.
- If your digits match in any other order, you win only the Box portion.
This play type is useful when you're fairly confident in a set of digits but want insurance if the draw comes out in a different order. The prize on an exact match is higher than Box alone but lower than a full Straight wager. This play type only applies when at least two of your digits are different (otherwise Box has only one ordering and there's no difference from Straight).
Combo Play
Combo automatically purchases every possible Straight combination of your chosen digits. If you play 1-2-3 Combo in Pick 3, you're buying six separate Straight tickets covering every ordering: 1-2-3, 1-3-2, 2-1-3, 2-3-1, 3-1-2, and 3-2-1.
Combo guarantees a Straight-level payout no matter what order your digits come out in, but the cost scales with the number of orderings and can get expensive.
| Game | Combo type | Number of tickets | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick 3 | All-different (6-way) | 6 | $6 |
| Pick 3 | One pair (3-way) | 3 | $3 |
| Pick 4 | All-different (24-way) | 24 | $24 |
| Pick 4 | One pair (12-way) | 12 | $12 |
| Pick 4 | Two pairs (6-way) | 6 | $6 |
| Pick 4 | One triple (4-way) | 4 | $4 |
Combo gives you the full Straight payout regardless of draw order, but you pay for each Straight ticket individually. It's the highest-coverage option and also the most expensive. Many experienced Pick players use Combo sparingly, reserving it for sets of digits they feel strongly about.
Front Pair and Back Pair (Pick 3 and Pick 4)
Pair plays let you cover only part of the drawn result instead of all positions. They are available in Pick 3 and Pick 4.
Front Pair
Your first two digits must match the first two digits of the drawn result in exact order. The third digit (Pick 3) or third and fourth digits (Pick 4) are ignored. In Pick 3, a Front Pair on 4-1 wins on any draw that starts with 4-1, such as 4-1-0, 4-1-5, or 4-1-9.
Back Pair
Your last two digits must match the last two digits of the drawn result in exact order. The first digit (Pick 3) or first two digits (Pick 4) are ignored. In Pick 3, a Back Pair on 1-7 wins on any draw that ends with 1-7, such as 0-1-7, 4-1-7, or 9-1-7.
| Play type | Odds (Pick 3) | Prize on $1 |
|---|---|---|
| Front Pair | 1 in 100 | $50 |
| Back Pair | 1 in 100 | $50 |
Pair plays have the same odds as Pick 2 Straight (1 in 100) because you're matching two exact positions. They're useful when you have strong feelings about two specific positions but not the whole number.
Minimum Wager Amounts
All Pick games support wagers below $1. The minimum is $0.50 for most play types, which halves the prize amount proportionally. This makes Pick games one of the most budget-accessible options in the PA Lottery lineup.
Which Play Type Is Right for You?
- Use Straight if you want the highest payout and are willing to bet on exact order.
- Use Box if you care more about matching the digits than the order. The trade-off is better odds but a smaller prize.
- Use Straight/Box if you want a middle ground: wins both the Straight and Box payouts on an exact match, Box payout only on an out-of-order match.
- Use Combo if you're confident in your digits and want guaranteed Straight-level coverage in every order, though at a higher cost.
- Use Front Pair or Back Pair if you're most confident about two specific positions and want to ignore the rest.
Always confirm your play type with the retailer and check your ticket before paying. Play type selection happens at the counter. PA Lottery Generator gives you the digit combinations; you choose how you want to play them.