UPDATE on Tuesday, Feb. 2: Further details regarding the prize-claim process for the secondary Pick 3 evening drawing on Jan. 30 are now available and noted in red here.
After a technical difficulty with ball-drawing equipment in the Saturday evening Pick 3 drawing, the Iowa Lottery will pay prizes on two sets of winning numbers for that drawing.
The winning numbers originally reported in the Pick 3 evening drawing on Saturday (Jan. 30) will be honored along with those selected in a secondary drawing.
The two sets of official winning numbers for the drawing are: 9-0-2 and 5-7-6.
The results were initially reported as usual for Saturday’s evening Pick 3 drawing. However, subsequent reviews revealed a difficulty with one of the ball-drawing machines.
The winning numbers in Pick 3 drawings are selected using three mechanical ball-drawing machines, each of which contains a set of white lottery balls numbered 0-9. Reviews of Saturday’s evening Pick 3 drawing revealed that as one of the machines was selecting a number, a door on its drum holding drawing balls came open. A drawing ball was still selected by the machine and the exact timing of the difficulty was not initially apparent.
After conducting the review, lottery officials determined that in an abundance of caution, they would hold a secondary drawing, with those results also reported for Saturday’s evening Pick 3 drawing. The secondary drawing was held at 7 p.m. Sunday.
In the initial Pick 3 evening drawing on Saturday, Iowa players won 49 prizes totaling $2,950 in winnings. They won 123 prizes totaling $12,240 in winnings in the secondary drawing.
Here are the prize results for each set of winning numbers.
While prizes in the initial Saturday evening Pick 3 drawing can be claimed through the Iowa Lottery’s usual procedures, any Iowa prizes won in that night’s secondary Pick 3 drawing need to be claimed directly from the lottery and processed at lottery headquarters in Clive. Players should follow the instructions on the “Claiming Prizes” page of the lottery website. The mailing address for the Iowa Lottery is:
Iowa Lottery
13001 University Ave.
Clive, IA 50325-8225.
Players also can visit any of the lottery’s regional offices to present Pick 3 tickets they believe won prizes in the secondary drawing. In some instances, the claim involved may require additional documentation and review, so the prizes may not immediately be paid.
Players who believe they may have discarded a ticket that won a prize in the secondary drawing or who have other questions regarding the status of a Pick 3 ticket should contact the Iowa Lottery directly at 515-725-7900 or [email protected].
Pick 3 prizes in Iowa must be claimed within 90 days of the drawing for which they were eligible.
Pick 3 has been offered in Iowa since 1998. It features a top prize of $3,000 and odds of just 1:1,000 of winning it. Another intriguing aspect of the game comes in the variety of ways players can choose to play it. Plays in Pick 3 range from 50 cents up to $5 for the chance to match a three-digit combination of numbers from 000 to 999.
There are several ways to win in Pick 3. Players can choose a straight play, meaning that if the winning numbers are 1-2-3, they win a prize for matching that combination exactly: 1-2-3. Another option is to choose a box play, which allows players to win for matching the winning numbers but not in the exact order drawn (if the winning numbers are 1-2-3, you win for any play with those numbers, such as 3-2-1). Players also can choose a straight/box play, which allows them to win for matching the numbers in the exact order drawn or in any order.
Hi, Lisa. You are correct that the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games we offer here in Iowa are our state's version of the popular numbers games. If there comes a time when we believe we can add new features to the games here in Iowa, we'll communicate with players about that so everyone understands the details involved.
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 16, 2021 at 08:25 AM
Ok so pick 4 pick 3 iowa used the Illinois lottery numbers and Iowans got mad because Illinois used a extra ball in the drawing yet telling Iowans the extra ball didn't mean nothing to iowa games. So then Iowa decided to go to the worst number draw game, now being played out of Indiana who uses a extra ball too. Why does iowa keep using other states lottery games and picks that uses extra balls and different game structure then forces it down our throats and say its not our game. Well yes it is, if you are using a pick 3 and pick 4 game from another state that uses extra balls, then you best get our tickets set up according to that states game. Last nigh 295 extra ball 1 was called, now although you may think of the numbers has no special link there is so instead of thinking of 295 numbers and what will come in next to play the player as to figure in that dead ball draw of 1 that Iowa doesn't play like the state they are making us use numbers from. this is getting ridicoulous use someone elses number but use different play tactics
Posted by: lisa | February 16, 2021 at 05:41 AM
Hello, A.C. I appreciate you taking the time to leave that feedback! It's our job to make sure people know the details about lottery happenings, even when it's not the best news. It's easy to talk about the good stuff, but the not-so-good stuff needs attention, too! Thank you again. :)
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 04, 2021 at 11:27 AM
Thank you for your honesty and truthfulness reference the Pick 3 drawing. It solidifies the integrity of the game and its employees. Thank you!!
Posted by: A.C. Empty | February 03, 2021 at 12:36 PM
How cool is that? That game DOES have colors and stars a lot like those in the Iowa Lottery's old logo. Maybe this means our influence is felt far beyond the borders of our state! :)
Posted by: Mary Neubauer | February 03, 2021 at 11:02 AM