You’re standing at a gas station in Kearney or maybe a Hy-Vee in Lincoln, staring at that little slips of paper. You've got three numbers in your head. Maybe it’s a birthday, or just the digits on the license plate of the guy who cut you off on I-80.
Most people think of the lottery as this giant, impossible mountain. They see the Powerball jackpots hitting hundreds of millions and figure, "Why not?" But if you’re actually looking for a game where you have a decent shot at walking away with extra cash in your pocket by 10 p.m. tonight, you need to be looking at the Nebraska Pick 3 results.
💡 You might also like: Top 10 Unique Guns in Video Games: Why the Classics Still Rule
It’s the state’s workhorse game. It’s daily. It’s cheap. And honestly, it’s much more of a "math person’s" game than the big national draws.
What’s Happening With the Latest Nebraska Pick 3 Results?
If you checked the numbers for Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the winning combination was 0-5-6.
Now, if you played those numbers "Straight," you’re looking at a $600 payday. But here’s what’s interesting: only two people in the entire state hit that straight match. Meanwhile, five people hit the "6-Way Box" for $100. That’s the thing about Pick 3—the results aren't just about winning or losing; they're about how you played the numbers you chose.
The drawing happens every single night. The Nebraska Lottery officials usually have the numbers verified and pushed out to the media by 10:00 p.m. CT. If you missed the draw, you can always call the "Players Hotline" at 1-800-224-LUCK. It’s a bit old school, but it works when the website is being slow.
A Quick Look Back at Recent Winning Numbers
Check out how these have been falling lately. There's no such thing as a "hot" number in a truly random system, but looking at the spread helps you see the variety:
- January 12, 2026: 6 - 5 - 7
- January 11, 2026: 0 - 2 - 5
- January 10, 2026: 0 - 4 - 4 (A "3-Way" result)
- January 9, 2026: 0 - 7 - 9
Did you notice the zeros? They’ve been popping up like weeds lately. That doesn't mean a zero is more likely to show up tomorrow—the balls don't have a memory—but it’s a reminder that "boring" numbers win just as often as anything else.
The Four Ways to Play (And Why It Matters)
Most players just walk up and ask for a "Quick Pick," but that’s leaving your strategy to a computer chip. In Nebraska, you have four distinct ways to bet your dollar. Each one changes your odds and your potential payout significantly.
1. The Straight Bet
This is the "all or nothing" move. You pick 1-2-3. If the numbers drawn are 1-2-3, you win $600. If they are 3-2-1? You get zero. Zip. The odds are exactly 1 in 1,000. It's the hardest way to win but offers the highest return for a $1 ticket.
👉 See also: Football Games Video Games: Why the Virtual Pitch Feels So Different Lately
2. The Box Bet
This is for people who hate being "one off." If you play a 6-Way Box (three unique numbers like 1-2-3), you win if those numbers come up in any order. The payout is lower—usually $100—but your odds jump to 1 in 167.
If you pick a 3-Way Box (two numbers are the same, like 1-1-2), the payout is $200 because there are fewer ways for those numbers to be rearranged (1-1-2, 1-2-1, 2-1-1).
3. Straight/Box: The Safety Net
This is basically two bets in one. You pay your dollar, and if you hit the numbers in the exact order, you get a "Straight" payout plus a "Box" payout (around $350 total for a 6-way). If they come up in a different order, you still get the "Box" prize (about $50). It’s the favorite for many regular Nebraska players because it takes the sting out of a "near miss."
4. Combo: The Position Play
This is the one people find confusing. You're basically betting on the position of the numbers.
- Match all 3 in exact order: $100
- Match any 2 in exact position: $8
- Match any 1 in exact position: $1
Essentially, if you match just one number in the right spot, you've made your money back for another ticket.
👉 See also: Pokemon Black Black City: Why Your Game Version Feels Like a Ghost Town
The $150,000 Liability Limit: A Weird Rule You Should Know
Nebraska has a specific rule that you won't find in many other states. They have a "liability limit" of $150,000 per drawing.
What does that mean for you? Well, if 250 people all decide to play "7-7-7" as a Straight bet on the same night, the lottery system will actually stop accepting bets for that specific number combination. They do this to make sure the state can always pay out the winners without breaking the bank. So, if you have a "lucky" number that's really popular (like 1-2-3 or 7-7-7), you might want to buy your ticket earlier in the day rather than waiting until 8:55 p.m.
Avoiding the "Gambler’s Fallacy" in Nebraska
I see it all the time at the kiosks. Someone is looking at a printout of the last ten Nebraska Pick 3 results and saying, "The number 9 hasn't been drawn in two weeks! It's due!"
Honestly? That’s just not how it works. Every single drawing is a fresh start. The plastic balls in the machine don't know they haven't been picked lately. They don't feel "due."
If you want to play better, stop looking for "due" numbers and start looking at your bet types. If you find yourself losing every night on Straight bets, switch to a Box or a Combo for a week. The psychological win of getting your dollar back or winning $50 is often better than the frustration of a long losing streak.
Practical Steps for Your Next Play
If you’re planning on playing tonight, here is the "pro" way to handle it:
- Check the Cutoff: You can buy tickets from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. the next day, except for a tiny window between 9:00 p.m. and 9:03 p.m. on drawing nights. Don't be the person standing at the counter while the machine is locked.
- Use the Multi-Draw: If you have a set of numbers you love, you can play them for up to 84 consecutive drawings (12 weeks). It saves you the trip to the store and ensures you don't miss the one night your numbers actually hit.
- Sign Your Ticket: I can't stress this enough. A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." That means whoever holds it, owns it. If you win $600 and drop that ticket in the parking lot, whoever picks it up can claim your money. Flip it over and sign the back the second you buy it.
- The Mobile App is Your Friend: The Nebraska Lottery has a decent app. You can scan your ticket to see if you won rather than squinting at the numbers on a screen and potentially misreading a 6 as an 8.
Winning at Pick 3 isn't about some secret code. It's about understanding the odds, choosing a bet type that fits your risk tolerance, and—most importantly—playing for fun rather than as a financial plan.
To keep your play on track, set a monthly "entertainment budget" for your tickets. If you hit a $600 Straight win, take that money and put it toward something real—a car payment, a nice dinner in the Haymarket, or your savings—rather than just pumping it all back into the machine. That’s the real secret to being a winner in the long run.