News writer, Interviewer
Zero, three times.
That's all it took for thousands of North Carolina Education Lottery players to walk away winners Monday night. The Pick 3 drawing landed on 0-0-0, and the payout was anything but nothing.
4,285 winning tickets. Over $1.5 million in prizes paid out.
Why trips hit different
Trips, three of the same number, are among the most-played combinations in Pick 3. There's something magnetic about them. Whether it's 1-1-1, 7-7-7, or in this case, 0-0-0, players gravitate toward them.
Here's what's important to know: the odds are identical no matter which three numbers you choose. Match all three in order, and the probability is 1 in 1,000. Every combination. Every draw.
Did a promotion fuel the action?
It's worth asking. The North Carolina Lottery launched Pick 3 Win More Fridays at the start of March, and it may have put more eyes on Pick 3 than usual.
Every Friday this month, players can win bigger without spending more. Match your numbers in order on a $1 play, and you win $598. On a $0.50 play? $299. There's no extra cost. The promotion runs for all four Fridays in March, covering both the afternoon and evening draws.
More players watching Pick 3 closely? More tickets in play. More chances for a big payout night like Monday's.
This isn't the first time trips have delivered
Just two weeks ago, on February 23, 2026, the Pick 3 drawing hit 2-2-2, and the results were impressive. Over $5.9 million in prizes across 14,002 winning tickets. It had the same prize structure: $250 for a $0.50 ticket, $500 for a $1 ticket.
That's two trips' payouts in under three weeks. North Carolina Lottery players are on a run.
How to play Pick 3
Pick three numbers from 0 to 9 or let Quick Pick choose for you. Then make three decisions: your play type, your wager, and your draw time.
Choose from one of these North Carolina Lottery Pick 3 play types:
- Exact order: Your numbers must match the draw in sequence.
- Any order: Your numbers just need to appear, regardless of position.
- 50/50: Combines both. Win either way the numbers fall.
- Combo: Plays every possible arrangement of your three numbers on one ticket.
- Front pair/back pair: Pick just two numbers and match them at the start or end of the winning draw.
Tickets cost $0.50 or $1.00. Add Fireball to unlock more winning combinations. It doubles the ticket cost but expands your chances.
Choose the day draw (around 3 p.m. ET), the evening draw (around 11:22 p.m. ET), or both. If you want even more action, the multidraw lets you play up to seven consecutive draws. Advance Play is available at retail only. This allows you to lock in specific future draw dates.
What's ahead
Winners have 180 days to claim their prizes. Tickets can be purchased at retail locations or through the North Carolina Lottery's Online Play program.
Pick 3 draws twice daily. The next Friday promotion draw is days away.
Could another trip be coming? Nobody knows, but the odds say 1 in 1,000. They've been hit twice already within the past month.
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