Nomadder = If you are going to play the Pick 3 I would say the first thing you need to have is a thorough understanding of the 10 digits and the makeup of the number of EXACTS that can be produced.....especially if you are going to shoot for the EXACT combination. <G>
As you know there are 10 digits in Pick 3....0 through 9. Five of the digits are Even digits and five are ODD digits....0,2,4,6,8 and 1,3,5,7,9. There are 1000 EXACT combinations of 10 digits ....000 through 999. There are actually 120 different 3-digit combinations and each 3-digit combination can be written 6 different ways. For example the number that played in Texas 1-5-2004 - 130.
130, 103, 031, 013, 301, 310
There are 90 sets of 2 digit numbers where 1 digit doubles. These sets can be written 3 different ways. Example: 228
228, 282, 822
120 (3 digits) x 6 = 720
90 Doubles x 3 = 270
Triples = 10
Total Exacts = 1000
There are 8 Alpha Patterns in the 1000 Exacts. Some combinations will be all Even digits (EEE) and some will be all Odd digits (OOO). Other Alpha Patterns are EEO, EOE, OEE, OOE, OEO and EOO. There are 125 EXACTS PER Alpha Pattern.
There are 3 times more Alpha Patterns that have a 2/1 split whether be 2E/1O or 2O/1E then there are EEE & OOO. Each of the groups that have the 2/1 split will have 25 Doubles in the 125 PER group. PURE Alphas such as EEE & OOO are a 60/60 split when it comes to Doubles and 3 different digits exacts with 5 Triples per group.
I consider an Even "game" to be one where 2 or more digits are Even and an Odd "game" to be one that favors Odd digits. Half the 1000 EXACT combinations will lean towards Even combinations and the other half towards Odd. If you use Sum Totals to track or direct you to what to play, keep in mind that 3 Even digits will always Sum Total Even and 2 ODD/1 Even digit will Sum Total Even. All Odd digits will Sum Total Odd and 2 Even/1 Odd digit will Sum Total Odd. Most combinations that play will Sum Total 11-20.
Also know that there are exactly 100 EXACT combinations with "any given digit in any given position" (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Just knowing 1 digit that is going to play and what position it will appear in will reduce the EXACTS from 1000 down to 100.
Repeat rate in Texas for a digit that plays two times or more in a row is about 62% but has dipped to 50% at times.
The bottom line is you will need to keep written record in some fashion in order to know what has played to formulate what to play. As long as it's something that YOU understand, it doesnt matter what "system" it is as long as it is consistent in the way in functions. I developed my own method of tracking.
One thing that I have noticed in tracking the digits is that most digits will re-play before they reach 5 days from the "last time" they played. I have seen digits go 15 or more days....even 26 days (nearly a month) before playing but this is rare. Keep in mind that most digits will replay before they reach 5 days out from last play. For example...the 130 that played today....one or more of those digits will play again before 1-10-2004.
Also Doubles games only play about every 8-10 games (average) with periods of shortness and length in between games. One thing I like to do when playing Doubles is to play 50 cent Combo rather then $1.00 EXACT or an Any Order because if going to spend $1.00 on an Any Order (return $180) why not spend the extra 50 cent for $1.50 Combo and hit the EXACT for $250?
Good Luck! Im a Texas player myself <G>