European Pick 3

European Pick 3 offers frequent draws and many different ways to win. You get to choose which prizes you play for, so you can go for a top prize worth €500 or you can target one of the other prizes and improve your odds of winning. All you need to do is pick three numbers and match them to win; how you do that depends on what type of bet you go for.

European Pick 3 is a great game because it gives you the opportunity to win not once but twice daily. There are two draws a day, seven days a week: the first is at 12:00 GMT (14:00 CET) and the second draw is at 17:00 GMT (19:00 CET). Sales close around 10 minutes before each draw.

How to Play European Pick 3

European Pick 3 works slightly differently to other lotteries, but it’s easy to pick up. Just choose three numbers between 0 and 9 and then choose a play type – in other words, decide how you want to try and match the winning line.

For example, you could play a Straight bet to match the winning numbers in the exact order they’re drawn, or you can go for a Box to match them in any order. The prizes on offer for each play type differ because some are harder to win than others. Follow the steps below to choose your European Pick 3 numbers online:

Go to the Lotto Tickets page and select the ‘Pick Numbers’ button for European Pick 3
On the first game panel, select one number from 0 to 9 in each of the three columns
Pick a play type: Straight, Box, Straight/Box, Front Pair, Back Pair, or Combo
Select the amount you want to pay. Most play types cost €0.50 or €1
Repeat the previous steps for each panel you want to play
Add your plays to the cart
Create an account or sign in to an existing one, then deposit funds to pay for your entries.

You can also opt for a Quick Pick, which will choose three random numbers on your behalf. You still need to select a play type and bet amount manually.

Play Types

The best feature of European Pick 3 is its flexibility, as you choose how to play and how much to spend on your entries. Below you can find a list of all the play types available in the game, including the cost of each and examples of how each one works. Go to the European Pick 3 Prizes page to find a list of prizes and the odds of winning for each bet type.

Straight

With a Straight bet, you need to match the winning numbers in the exact order they’re drawn. You can pick any combination of numbers, but they must appear in the winning line in the same order you picked them. For example, if you go for a Straight play with the numbers 123, you would only win if the winning numbers are also 123, in that order. This type of play has the longest odds of all but also has the biggest prize. Straight bets cost €0.50 or €1 – the higher bet amount gives you the chance to win a bigger prize.

Box

With a Box, you can match the winning numbers in any order. The numbers you pick are important to this type of bet, as some combinations are harder to match than others:

If you pick two identical numbers and one other number – for example, 122 – that would be a ‘3-way’ play, as you would win if any one of three combinations was drawn: 122, 212, or 221.
If you pick three different numbers – for example, 234 – that would be a ‘6-way’ play, as there are six possible combinations to match: 234, 243, 324, 342, 423, and 432.

Both types of Box bet cost the same, but a 3-way Box pays out more because it’s harder to win. A 6-way Box gives you a better chance of winning, but the prize is slightly lower. Note that if you play a Box, there’s no bonus for matching the numbers in the exact order; you get the same payout regardless of the order you match them. Box bets cost €0.50 or €1.

Straight/Box

As its name suggests, this bet combines a Straight and a Box. If you match the winning numbers in the exact order they’re drawn, you win both parts of the bet; if you match the numbers in any order, you win the Box part of the bet but not the Straight. As you’re essentially placing two bets in one, the cost is higher than other plays – a Straight/Box bet costs €1 or €2. The numbers you pick will also determine whether the Box part of the play is a 3-way or 6-way Box.

Pair

Most European Pick 3 bets require you to match all three winning numbers, but Pair bets only need you to match two of them. You can play a Front Pair, in which you have to match the first two winning numbers in the same order they’re drawn, or you can play a Back Pair, where you have to match the last two numbers in the same order. This type of bet offers the best odds in the game and costs €0.50 or €1.

Combo

A Combo bet allows you to play for the game’s biggest prize, but with better odds of winning. When you play a Combo, you pay for a Straight bet on every combination of numbers you pick. For example, if you pick the numbers 344, you would place a Straight bet on each of the following combinations: 344, 434, and 443. If any of those combinations match the winning numbers you’d win the game’s top prize.

As with Box plays, the numbers you pick determine whether your Combo will be a 3-way or 6-way play. A 3-way Combo (two identical numbers and one different number) will generate three separate sets of numbers, so you would pay for three Straight bets; a 6-way Combo (three different numbers) generates six sets of numbers, so you would pay for all six.

You must remember that you pay for every set of numbers generated by your Combo. The price of a Combo bet can vary considerably as a result – the minimum cost is €1.50 and the maximum is €6.