Lotteries
Pick 4 Odds: Straight and Every Box Type
Odds and return for every Ontario Pick 4 bet: straight and the four box types. Type a number in the calculator below to see its box ways.
1123 is one pair: its digits can be drawn in 12 different orders, so a box bet on it wins 12 times as often as a straight bet, for a smaller prize.
Every bet of OLG PICK-4
| Bet | Chance | Prize | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight (exact order) | 1 in 10,000printed: 10,000 | $5,000 | 50.0% |
| Box, 4 ordersAAAB · three of a kind | 1 in 2,500printed: 2,500 | $1,250 | 50.0% |
| Box, 6 ordersAABB · two pairs | 1 in 1,667printed: 1,667 | $800 | 48.0% |
| Box, 12 ordersAABC · one pair | 1 in 833.3printed: 833 | $400 | 48.0% |
| Box, 24 ordersABCD · four different digits | 1 in 416.7printed: 417 | $200 | 48.0% |
Playing every draw at $1 costs about $1.00 a day on average with the best of these bets (Straight (exact order)).
Show the formula
There are 10,000 equally likely draws (0000 to 9999). A bet covering w of them wins with chance w / 10,000.
orders of 1123 = 4! / (repeats!) = 12
return = sum of (chance x prize) / price
Source: OLG – PICK-4 Game Conditions, OLG – About PICK-4 · checked 2026-10-29
How Pick 4 works
- Choose four digitsEach digit can be anything from zero to nine. Digits may repeat.
- Choose straight or boxStraight wins only in the exact order. Box wins in any order of the same digits.
- OLG draws a numberOne four-digit number is drawn in the afternoon and one in the evening, every day.
- Compare with your betYour digits and bet type decide whether a prize is paid.
Box types, ways and odds
| Bet | Pattern | Ways (orders) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Any four digits, exact order | one | 1 in 10,000 |
| 4-way box | AAAB – three same, one different | 4 | 1 in 2,500 |
| 6-way box | AABB – two pairs | 6 | 1 in 1,667 |
| 12-way box | AABC – one pair, two different | 12 | 1 in 833.3 |
| 24-way box | ABCD – four different digits | 24 | 1 in 416.7 |
| Quads | AAAA – same digit four times | one | Straight only |
Ways = how many different orders the four digits can be drawn in. OLG allows a number with the same digit four times as a straight play only.
Box odds from the number of ways
chance of a box win = ways × chance of a straight win
Example: For example, an ABCD number has 24 orders, so its box odds are 1 in 416.7 instead of 1 in 10,000.
Return per dollar by bet
Straight
50.0%Average share of money played that comes back as prizes. Odds 1 in 10,000.
4-way box
50.0%Same return as straight, with odds of 1 in 2,500.
6-way box
48.0%Odds 1 in 1,667. Slightly lower return than straight.
12-way box
48.0%Odds 1 in 833.3.
24-way box
48.0%Best odds of any bet, 1 in 416.7, but the smallest prize.
Straight vs box
Straight
- Wins only in the exact order
- Odds 1 in 10,000
- Largest prize of any bet
- Return 50.0%
- Works for every number, including AAAA
Box
- Wins in any order of the same digits
- Odds from 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 416.7
- More ways means a smaller prize
- Return 50.0% or 48.0%
- Not available for AAAA
Other daily number games
Sources
- OLG – PICK-4 Game Conditions · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – About PICK-4 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – PICK-4 past results and odds · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
What are the odds of winning Pick 4?
A straight bet wins with odds of 1 in 10,000. Box bets have better odds, from 1 in 2,500 to 1 in 416.7, depending on how many orders your digits can make.
What is a 24-way box in Pick 4?
It is a box bet on a number with four different digits (ABCD). Those digits can be drawn in 24 orders, so the odds are 1 in 416.7.
Does a box bet pay less than a straight bet?
Yes. A box prize is smaller because the bet covers more orders. The return stays close: 50.0% for straight, 48.0% for a 24-way box.
Can I play a number like AAAA as a box?
No. OLG's game conditions say a number using the same digit four times is valid for a straight play only.
How often is Ontario Pick 4 drawn?
OLG draws Pick 4 twice a day, every day of the week: once in the afternoon and once in the evening, Eastern Time.