All the different play styles in Pick 4 can be confusing at first, but once you've got the basics it all becomes simple. Below, we've put together a quick guide explaining the five play types, and how the number of "Ways" you play affects your odds, prizes, and the price of your ticket. Let's get started...
To win a Straight play, you need to match all four numbers in drawn-order. This play-type offers the top prize of $5,000!
To win a Box play, you need to match all four numbers, but the order doesn't matter. This play type has much better odds than Straight plays, but lower prizes.
Half of your ticket cost goes towards a Straight play, and the other half goes towards a Box play. If you manage to win the Straight, you've technically also won the Box - so you get both prizes!
This play type is the equivalent of making a Straight bet on every possible combination of your numbers. You can win the $5,000 top prize with much better odds, but it's a more expensive ticket!
With pair plays, you only need to select two main numbers on your playslip. You can bet on matching the Front Pair (balls 1 and 2), the Mid Pair ( 2 and 3), or the Back Pair (3 and 4) in drawn order.
Your winning odds, prizes, and ticket price can change depending on the numbers you pick. This is known as how many "Ways" you play. There's a very good reason for this - here's how & why it works
If you make a Box play, for example, you can win with any combination of your chosen numbers. If you play 1234, there are 24 combinations you can make, but if you were to play 1114 there are only 4 combinations you can make. This means that the odds of winning with 1234 are six times higher than 1114!
The number of possible combinations is called the number of Ways, and this applies to all Box, Straight/Box, and Combination plays. Not to worry though, the game balances things out. For Box plays, the prizes get bigger if you play fewer Ways, while for Combo plays, prizes stay the same but tickets cost more if you play a higher number of ways. Check the table below for more details:
Use this tool to find out all the possible winning combinations for your chosen numbers. Simply enter your numbers and your play type, and we'll tell you how many ways you can back a Pick 4 win.
| Number of Ways | Description | Winning Combinations | Odds of Winning | Any Order Prizes | Combo Play Cost |
| 4-Way | Three identical digits and one unique digit - e.g. 1112 | 1112, 1121, 1211, 2111 | 1 in 2,500 | $600 or $1,200 | $2 or $4 |
| 6-Way | Two sets of pairs - e.g. 3344 | 3344, 3434, 3443, 4334, 4343, 4433 | 1 in 1,666.7 | $400 or $800 | $3 or $6 |
| 12-Way | One pair and two unique digits - e.g. 5677 | 5677, 5767, 5766, 6577, 6757, 6775, 7567, 7576, 7657, 7675, 7756, 7765 | 1 in 833.3 | $200 or $400 | $6 or $12 |
| 24-Way | Four different numbers - e.g. 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 | 1 in 416.7 | $100 or $200 | $12 or $24 |
