Pick 4 Overview
Pick 4 is a twice-daily NJ lottery which gives you the chance to win up to 5,000 times your wager amount. Just like other Pick games in New Jersey, there is a lot of flexibility over how to play. Find out more about the different ways you can try to win. You can even add Fireball and Instant Match to your ticket for more chances to land a prize.
Drawings take place at 12:59 pm and 10:57 pm. The cut-off time for the Midday draw is 12:53pm, and for the Evening draw it is 10:53 pm.
How to Play
To play Pick 4, you simply have to select four numbers between 0 and 9. You can choose your own or get a Quick Pick. However, there are several different bet types to choose from:
- Straight: To win, you have to match the winning numbers in exact order.
- Box: With a Box wager, you win if your chosen numbers are drawn in any order.
- Straight & Box: Half your wager goes on a Straight, and half on a Box. If your numbers are drawn in order, you therefore win both parts of the bet. If your numbers appear in a different order, you just get the Box portion of the prize.
- Wheel: This method gives you all possible Straight combinations for your chosen numbers. Your four numbers can therefore appear in any order and you win the Straight prize. While the prize is greater than a Box bet, the trade-off is that you have to pay for every separate combination.
- Pair Bets: For this bet type, you only have to pick two numbers. You can play a Front Pair (first two numbers) or a Back Pair (last two numbers) and you have to match them in the correct positions to win.
For Box, Straight/Box and Wheel wagers, the combination of numbers you pick is also important. This determines your odds of winning and also the potential payout. There are four different ways, as shown in the table below:
| Number of Ways | Description | Example | Winning Combinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Way | Three identical digits and one that is different | 1112 | 1112, 1121, 1211, 2111 |
| 6-Way | Two sets of pairs | 1122 | 1122, 1212, 1221, 2112, 2121, 2211 |
| 12-Way | Two identical digits and two that are unique | 5677 | 5677, 5767, 5766, 6577, 6757, 6775, 7567, 7576, 7657, 7675, 7756, 7765 |
| 24-Way | Four different numbers | 1234 | 1234, 1243, 1324, 1342, 1423, 1432, 2134, 2143, 2314, 2341, 2413, 2431, 3124, 3142, 3214, 3241, 3412, 3421, 4123, 4132, 4213, 4231, 4312, 4321 |
The next step is to decide on your wager amount. You can bet $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4 or $5. Choose to enter either the Midday draw, the Evening draw, or both. The Multi-Draw section of your playslip then allows you to enter the same selections for up to seven consecutive days.
For even more chances to win, you have the option to add Fireball and Instant match to your ticket.
Fireball
The Fireball is a fifth number that is also selected at random as part of every draw. Just like the four main numbers, this is taken from a separate field of 0 to 9.
If you add the Fireball option, you can use this extra number to help you create winning combinations as it can be swapped in to replace any of the other four numbers. For example, if you play a Straight and pick the numbers 1234, then the numbers drawn are 1239, this would normally be a losing bet. However, if the Fireball is a 4, you can replace the 9 with the 4 to give you a win.
Adding Fireball doubles the cost of a play, but increases your chances of winning significantly.
Prizes and Odds
The amount you can win in Pick 4 depends on how you play and your wager amount. To win, you need to match all of the numbers according to the conditions of the bet type you selected.
The following table shows what payouts are available for each type of wager, along with the odds of winning. The Fireball prizes and odds are also displayed.
| Bet Type | Odds | Prize ($0.50 Play) | Prize ($1 Play) | Odds with Fireball | Fireball Prize ($0.50 Play) | Fireball Prize ($1 Play) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | 1 in 10,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 | 1 in 2,500 | $675 | $1,350 |
| Box - 4-Way | 1 in 2,500 | $600 | $1,200 | 1 in 625 | $170 | $340 |
| Box - 6-Way | 1 in 1,666 | $400 | $800 | 1 in 417 | $112 | $224 |
| Box - 12-Way | 1 in 833 | $200 | $400 | 1 in 208 | $56 | $112 |
| Box - 24-Way | 1 in 416 | $100 | $200 | 1 in 104 | $28 | $56 |
| Straight/Box - 4-Way | 1 in 10,000/1 in 2,500 | N/A | $3,100 for a Straight/Box, $600 for Box only | 1 in 2,500/1 in 625 | N/A | $845 for a Straight/Box, $170 for Box only |
| Straight/Box - 6-Way | 1 in 10,000/1 in 1,666 | N/A | $2,900 for a Straight/Box, $400 for Box only | 1 in 2,500/1 in 417 | N/A | $787 for a Straight/Box, $112 for Box only |
| Straight/Box - 12-Way | 1 in 10,000/1 in 833 | N/A | $2,700 for a Straight/Box, $200 for Box only | 1 in 2,500/1 in 208 | N/A | $731 for a Straight/Box, $56 for Box only |
| Straight/Box - 24-Way | 1 in 10,000/1 in 416 | N/A | $2,600 for a Straight/Box, $100 for Box only | 1 in 2,500/1 in 104 | N/A | $703 for a Straight/Box, $28 for Box only |
| Wheel - 4-Way | 1 in 2,500 | $2,500 ($2 Play) | $5,000 ($4 Play) | 1 in 625 | $675 | $1,350 |
| Wheel - 6-Way | 1 in 1,666 | $2,500 ($3 Play) | $5,000 ($6 Play) | 1 in 416 | $675 | $1,350 |
| Wheel - 12-Way | 1 in 833 | $2,500 ($6 Play) | $5,000 ($12 Play) | 1 in 208 | $675 | $1,350 |
| Wheel - 24-Way | 1 in 416 | $2,500 ($12 Play) | $5,000 ($24 Play) | 1 in 104 | $675 | $1,350 |
| Front Pair | 1 in 100 | $25 | $50 | 1 in 25 | $7 | $14 |
| Back Pair | 1 in 100 | $25 | $50 | 1 in 25 | $7 | $14 |
Instant Match
For an extra $1 per play, you can add Instant Match to your ticket. This gives you a chance to win prizes at the point of purchase, without even having to wait for the next draw.
A set of four Instant Match numbers will be generated at random and printed on your ticket, alongside a prize value. If any of these numbers match the numbers you have picked, you win the associated prize. Approximately, one in seven tickets is a winner, and you can even win multiple prizes on the same ticket. The table below shows the prizes you can win, along with the odds:
| Prize | Odds |
|---|---|
| $500 | 1 in 75,000 |
| $100 | 1 in 25,000 |
| $50 | 1 in 2,000 |
| $20 | 1 in 200 |
| $10 | 1 in 65 |
| $5 | 1 in 37 |
| $2 | 1 in 10 |
| The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 7 | |