If you’re standing in a gas station line in Spartanburg or checking your phone from a porch in Charleston, you know the vibe. The South Carolina Education Lottery isn’t just about the massive Powerball jackpots that make national news. For most of us, the real action is in the daily grind of the three and four-digit games.
But here’s the thing: keeping up with south carolina pick 3 & 4 for today can be a bit of a headache if you don’t know the schedule.
Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026. If you’re looking for the midday numbers right now, I’ve got some news that might save you a trip to the retailer. There aren't any. South Carolina doesn't do midday draws on Sundays. It’s one of those weird quirks that trips up even the regulars. You’ve got to wait for the evening draw at 6:59 p.m. to see if your numbers hit.
The Sunday Schedule Scramble
Most days of the week, the Palmetto State gives you two bites at the apple. You’ve got the midday drawing at 12:59 p.m. and the evening one at 6:59 p.m. But Sundays are different. The lottery takes a little breather in the afternoon.
So, if you played a ticket for south carolina pick 3 & 4 for today, you’re strictly looking at the evening results.
Honestly, it’s kinda nice. It builds the anticipation. Instead of checking your ticket over lunch, you’re waiting until the sun goes down. The evening drawings are the ones that actually get televised on local stations like WIS in Columbia or WYFF in Greenville. If you miss the live broadcast, the numbers usually pop up online within a few minutes of the balls dropping.
Yesterday's Numbers (Saturday, Jan 17)
In case you’re still holding onto yesterday’s slips, here is what went down.
Pick 3 Saturday Results:
- Midday: 5 - 1 - 2
- Evening: 7 - 1 - 6
Pick 4 Saturday Results:
- Midday: 4 - 0 - 0 - 0 (Yes, those "quads" actually happen!)
- Evening: 3 - 2 - 6 - 6
Seeing those "0000" numbers on the Pick 4 midday draw is a reminder of why people love these games. It’s rare, but when it happens, the payouts are huge because so many people bet on repeating digits.
The Fireball Factor: Is it Worth the Extra Buck?
If you’ve looked at a play slip recently, you’ve seen the "FIREBALL" option. It basically doubles the cost of your bet. If you’re playing a $1 Straight, adding Fireball makes it a $2 ticket.
Is it worth it? Sorta depends on how you like to win.
The Fireball is an extra number drawn after the main Pick 3 and Pick 4 numbers. You can use that Fireball number to replace any of the drawn numbers to create a winning combination.
Example Time: Let's say you picked 1-2-3. The lottery draws 1-2-9, but the Fireball is 3. You can swap that 9 for the 3, and suddenly your "losing" ticket is a winner.
It’s basically a safety net. It doesn't pay out as much as a "base" win, but it turns a lot of "almost" moments into "thank goodness" moments. If you’re the kind of person who gets frustrated by being one digit off, the Fireball is your best friend.
Understanding the Payouts (Don't Get Fooled)
A lot of folks think a $1 bet always means a $500 win on Pick 3. That’s only if you play "Straight."
Straight means you have to match the numbers in the exact order they come out. If you play a "Box," you’re betting that your numbers will show up in any order. It’s much easier to win, but the payout is lower.
Pick 3 Payout Logic
- Straight ($1 bet): You're looking at a $500 prize. Odds are 1 in 1,000.
- 6-Way Box ($1 bet): This is for three different numbers (like 1-2-3). You win about $80.
- 3-Way Box ($1 bet): This is for two identical numbers (like 1-1-2). You win about $160.
Pick 4 Payout Logic
The Pick 4 is a whole different beast. Because there are 10,000 possible combinations, the Straight payout is a cool $5,000 for a $1 bet.
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The most common way people play is the "24-Way Box." This is when you pick four different numbers (like 1-2-3-4). Since there are 24 different ways those numbers can be arranged, your odds are much better (1 in 417), but you’re only going to walk away with about $200 on a $1 bet.
Strategy vs. Superstition
Let’s be real for a second. These are games of pure chance. The plastic balls bouncing in the machine don’t remember what happened yesterday.
However, players in South Carolina are a superstitious bunch. Some people swear by "hot" numbers—digits that have appeared frequently in the last week. Others go for "cold" numbers, thinking they are "due" to show up.
There’s also the "Wheeling" system. This is where you pick a set of numbers and play every possible combination of them. It’s expensive, but it covers your bases.
If you're playing south carolina pick 3 & 4 for today, the best "strategy" is actually just bankroll management. Don't spend your light bill money trying to hit a Straight Pick 4. Treat it like entertainment. The odds are always in favor of the house, or in this case, the South Carolina Education Lottery's scholarship fund.
Where the Money Actually Goes
It’s easy to get cynical about the lottery, but South Carolina is pretty transparent about where the cash ends up. Since 2002, the lottery has moved over $8 billion into education.
We’re talking about:
- Hope Scholarships
- Life Scholarships
- Palmetto Fellows
- K-12 programs
So, even if your Pick 3 numbers don't hit tonight, you can feel slightly better knowing that your buck is helping a kid in Clemson or USC pay for books.
Actionable Steps for Today's Players
If you’re planning to play the evening draw, here’s how to handle it:
- Check your old tickets first. You have 180 days from the draw date to claim a prize in South Carolina. Don't let a winning slip gather dust in your glove box.
- Mind the deadline. Sales for the evening draw stop at 6:45 p.m. sharp. If you’re at the counter at 6:46 p.m., you’re buying a ticket for tomorrow.
- Sign the back. Seriously. A lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument." If you lose an unsigned winning ticket and someone else finds it, they can claim your money. Put your name on it the second it comes out of the machine.
- Use the app. The SC Lottery has an official app. You can scan your tickets to see if they won rather than squinting at the numbers and hoping you didn't miss a digit.
Wait for the 6:59 p.m. drawing tonight. If you hit, you can claim prizes up to $500 at most authorized retailers. Anything over that, and you’re looking at a trip to a claims center or mailing it in. Good luck, and play smart.
Next Steps: Check your Saturday tickets against the results listed above, and if you're playing tonight, make sure to get your entries in before the 6:45 p.m. cutoff. If you want to see the long-term frequency of certain digits, you can download the full historical draw data directly from the South Carolina Education Lottery website.