'Fireball' feature now on sale
Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
On Sept. 1, Illinois Lottery retailers will begin offering a new, optional feature called Fireball to its long-standing Pick 3 and Pick 4 daily draw games.
The new play option provides a chance to obtain more winning combinations.
The standard Pick 3 and Pick 4 games remain the same, as does the drawing schedule (seven days a week, twice a day) and game ticket price (starts at 50 cents).
Beginning Sunday, Sept. 1, players have the option to add Fireball for a cost equivalent to the player's original base wager. For example, if someone wagers 50 cents on Pick 3 and adds the Fireball option, the cost of adding this option is an additional 50 cents (or $1 total cost).
A player does not have to select Fireball to play or win the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games. If someone chooses to play Fireball, the choice applies to all games contained on a single play slip.
"The Illinois Lottery launched these games over 30 years ago, and today we feel that it is time to refresh Pick 3 and Pick 4 to increase the winning experience for our players," said Francesco Parola, VP of Sales and Marketing for Northstar Lottery Group. "Ultimately, we want to appeal to more people across Illinois to play exciting games like Pick 3 and Pick 4. We will support this new feature with a statewide marketing campaign that kicks off September 1."
How it Works
A single Fireball drawing is held after each Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawing. For each Fireball drawing, one ball is selected, which can be either a numbered ball or an unnumbered ball.
When a numbered Fireball ball is drawn, the number on that ball may be used to replace any one of the numbers drawn in the preceding Pick 3 or Pick 4 drawing to create winning combinations.
If the Fireball number is the same as one of the player's numbers, and the player's numbers match the numbers drawn for the player's play style, a bonus prize will be awarded. For example, if a player wagered 1-2-3 straight and those same numbers were drawn in the regular Pick 3 drawing, they could win yet another straight prize payout if the Fireball number was 1, 2, or 3, because replacing one of the numbers drawn with the same Fireball number would result in another straight win.
The Fireball ball is drawn from a pool of numbered and unnumbered balls (10 numbered balls 0–9 and 10 unnumbered balls for Pick 3; 10 numbered balls 0–9 and 20 unnumbered balls for Pick 4). If an unnumbered ball is drawn for Fireball, there is no additional opportunity to win prizes in that draw. When a numbered Fireball ball is selected it does not guarantee a cash prize will result — you still have to match one the number combination on your ticket using the Fireball number as a replacement for any one number in the drawing results.
You can only win a prize using the Fireball number if you purchase the Fireball option when you buy your lottery ticket.
The winning numbers, including the Fireball number, will be displayed on Lottery Post's Illinois Lottery Results page soon after each drawing. The drawings will continue to take place at 12:40 p.m. and 9:22 p.m. and will be broadcast live on WGN TV. Overall odds of winning a Pick 3 or Pick 4 prize vary based on the type of wager.
Play slips used for the old Pick 3 and Pick 4 games will not work for the new games. New play slips will be available by September 1 at all Illinois Lottery retailers that sell Pick 3 and Pick 4.
VIDEO: How to play with the new Fireball feature
Illinois Lottery Pick 3 and Pick 4 plus FireballDescribes how the new Illinois Lottery Fireball feature works with the Pick 3 and Pick 4 games.T2M49Shttp://img.youtube.com/vi/qqkuJR7ITvc/3.jpghttps://youtu.be/qqkuJR7ITvc2013-09-01T11:53:00-05:00