How to Play Win 4
Win 4 requires you to pick just four numbers between 0 and 9, but there are various options that allow you to play the way you want.
You can choose from several play types and decide on how much to spend – considerations that impact on the prizes you can win. There’s a full step-by-step guide for what you need to do below, followed by descriptions of the different play types.
Drawings take place at 2:30 PM and 10:30 PM. Ticket sales close at 2:15 PM for the Midday draw and 10:20 PM for the Evening draw.
Choose your numbers
Select four numbers from 0 to 9 on your playslip by marking one digit from each row. Alternatively, choose the Quick Pick option to get a random selection.
Decide on your wager type
Specify how you want to try and match the numbers – Straight, Box, Straight/Box or Combination. You can even play a Pair and just try to predict two numbers.
Choose your play amount
You can pay $0.50 per wager if you want to keep costs down, or double it to $1 per play for the chance to win bigger prizes.
Select your draws
Indicate whether you want to play the Day draw, Evening draw, or both. You can also enter your numbers into multiple consecutive draw days, up to a maximum of seven.
Buy your tickets
Take your completed playslip to the retailer or put it into an NYL vending machine. The total amount to pay is the size of your wager multiplied by the number of draws you are entering.
If you have a Win 4 ticket from the past 30 days, you don’t even have to fill in a new playslip. Hand in your old ticket and ask to ‘Play It Again’ - a new entry will be printed which matches the original one exactly.
Play Types
Find out more about the various play types you can pick from when you play Win 4.
Straight
A Straight play is a prediction that the four numbers you select will be drawn in that exact order. For example, if you pick 1234, you only win if the numbers are drawn as 1234. If they appear in a different order, such as 4321, your wager is lost.
Box
If you play a Box, the four numbers you select can be drawn in any order. There are four different types of Box:
- 4-Way - Three of your four digits are identical, for example 1112. This gives you four possible winning combinations – 1112, 1121, 1211 and 2111.
- 6-Way – You have two sets of pairs within your four digits, such as 3344. There are six ways in which these numbers could be ordered – 3344, 4433, 3443, 4334, 3434 and 4343.
- 12-Way – Two of your four numbers are identical, for example 5567. The 12 winning combinations here would be 5567, 5576, 5657, 5675, 5756, 5765, 6557, 6575, 6755, 7556, 7565 and 7655.
- 24-Way – All four of your numbers are different, such as 1234. You would win with any of the following – 1234, 1243, 1324, 1342, 1423, 1432, 2134, 2143, 2314, 2341, 2413, 2431, 3124, 3142, 3214, 3241, 3412, 3421, 4123, 4132, 4213, 4231, 4312 and 4321.
Straight/Box
A Straight/Box has a fixed cost of $1, with $0.50 going on a Straight wager and $0/50 on a Box. You win both parts of the wager if your selected numbers are drawn in that exact order, or just the Box prize if they appear in a different order.
Combination
If you play a Combination, this gives you multiple Straights and a better chance of winning. For example, if you play 1113 as a 4-Way combination, all the valid combinations are entered into the drawing - 1113, 1131, 1311 and 3111. You win the Straight prize if any of these combinations are drawn, but you have to pay for each separate combination.
Pair Plays
This is a separate bet option which allows you to select just two numbers instead of four. Decide whether you want to try and match the first two numbers or the last two. Both selected numbers must appear in those exact positions in order for you to win. It does not matter which numbers are selected in the other places. For example, if you play 34 as a Front Pair, you win if the number drawn begins with 34, whether that is 3400, 3499 or any number in-between.
Odds and Prizes
Win 4 offers a range of potential payouts, based on the play type you choose and your wager amount. If you play a Box, Straight/Box or Combination, the prize you can win also depends on whether you have gone with a 4-Way, 6-Way, 12-Way or 24-Way. Go to the Odds and Prizes page to find out all the payouts that are available.