New Pick 3 and Pick 4 features in Virginia Lottery

OLIVER L. Author

Last Updated: July 1st, 2021

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After working in the gambling industry for over a decade, Oliver spotted an opportunity to setup a resource for lottery bettors. CompareTheLotto.com was founded in 2014 and launched a UK site firstly with a South African following shortly after and USA being launched in 2020.

Note: *The following article is purely for fun. It is based on individual opinions and does not constitute advice. The drawing of lottery numbers is entirely random. Please always gamble responsibly. #Ad. Find out more on our How Our Site Works page.

A brand-new Fireball feature will be available on the Virginia Lottery that could boost your chances of scooping a prize with your play.

The Pick 3 and Pick 4 Fireball games are unique - once the daytime and nightly draws have concluded, a Fireball digit ranging from 0-9 will be selected in a separate draw. Players have the option to use the Fireball in the following day's lotto. The Fireball will act as what some would refer to as a "wild" - if it shows up, the Fireball will substitute standard numbers to help create winning combinations.

The one drawback - to play Fireball, you need to stake double. Given the amount it can benefit your chances of winning, it's hardly surprising the rules stipulate an extra cost.

What are the odds?

Playing Pick 3 and Pick 4 lottos increase your odds of winning drastically - but that's not to say you're guaranteed to win. Far from it!

The odds of winning the top prize of $500 from the Pick 3 draw stands at 1 in 1,000 while the max win in the Pick 4 pot for the straight-up win is $5,000 - you have odds of 1 in 10,000 of landing that tasty sum!

However, the additional presence of a Fireball means those odds will vary - if the Fireball lands and you're playing it, you will have a better chance of winning!

Can I play the lotto online in Virginia?

Yes, the great news is you can. There are a great range of instant games including Shamrock Winnings which has a Top Prize of $200,000.

For draw based games, you can play Mega Millions, Powerball and Cash4Life online now.

You can play the Virginia Lottery online - draws take place twice daily at 2 pm EST and 11 pm EST, respectively.

Finally, if you live in Virginia and are interested in calculating your tax owed on lottery winnings you can use our Virginia Lottery tax calculator.