In the Hanafi school, three Takbirs occur at the start of the first rakat of Eid prayer.
Takbir is the declaration “Allahu Akbar,” meaning “God is the greatest.” Eid prayer consists of two rakats, or units, and includes additional Takbirs beyond those used in an ordinary prayer. In the Hanafi method, three additional Takbirs are made at the beginning of the first rakat before the Qur’anic recitation.
The Hanafi arrangement also includes three additional Takbirs in the second rakat, before bowing. This produces six additional Takbirs in the prayer, although the question’s wording asks specifically about the first rakat. Counting only that opening group gives the answer three.
Eid prayer practice differs among Sunni schools, which explains why published descriptions sometimes give other numbers. The Hanafis regard Salat al-Eid as wajib, while other schools use different classifications of its legal status. The sermon, or khutbah, follows the prayer rather than preceding it, unlike the usual order for Friday prayer.