Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 28, 1990                   TAG: 9003280228
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

NUMBER 9 LUCKY FOR PLAYERS OF PICK-3

The lottery will pay $783,250 to those who picked the correct number, after taking in just $559,000, said lottery spokeswoman Paula Otto.

Otto said it was the third time a triple number was drawn in the Pick-3 game.

The lottery shelled out a record $1,261,750 on Oct. 11 when 7-7-7 was drawn. On Aug. 15, $944,750 was paid out to those who picked 6-6-6.

Otto said the two most-played numbers usually are the date of the drawing and the combination 1-2-3.

The third largest payoff on Pick-3 was made on the second drawing, on May 23, 1989. Otto said many people played the date of the first drawing, 5-2-2, and the lottery paid out $868,950 when that combination was drawn the next day.

Otto said she could not immediately determine how many winners there were Tuesday night, but she said $1,566.50 was wagered on the winning combination. The prize is $500 for those who purchase a $1 ticket, and $250 for those who wager 50 cents.

Otto also said the million-dollar lotto game that began this year has boosted sales of Pick-3 and instant lottery tickets.

"Pick-3 sales are up, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when most of our lotto tickets are sold," Otto said. "We thought the other games would go down because people were diverting their dollars. But I think the lotto game brings in a lot of players who are playing the other games."