How to Win the Lottery According to Math

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Last updated on March 23, 2024

Winning the lottery is a life-changing moment. Get that one good win, and you’re all set. But how to win the lottery? Since a magical button is not available, mathematics remains the only tool to help.

But before discussing the good news, allow me to talk about the bad news first. Once you understand the obstacle that prevents you from winning, developing a sensible lotto strategy that works will be easy.

Winning the Lottery is Not Easy

The lottery is truly a random game—unpredictable. You need perseverance, persistence, and patience to win the top prize. And even with the triple Ps, it’s possible that you may not win in your lifetime.

That’s why playing the lottery is gambling.

Even someone with paranormal power cannot predict the lottery. Even a psychic asks how to win the lottery.

The odds in favor of winning the U.S. Powerball 5/69 grand prize are one to 292 million.

In Mega Millions 5/70, the odds are one to 302.6 million. The odds are so monumental.

And the worst odds I have seen so far are those of the South African and the Italian Superenalotto, where you pick from 90 numbers. To win in this kind of lottery format is like wishing for a miracle.

Any statistician will tell you immediately that your chances of winning the lottery are minuscule.

Many people say the possibility that you get killed by a shark is much higher than winning the lottery. Of course, that’s not the whole truth. The truth is that the probability that you meet a shark is zero when you don’t swim in the ocean.1

Similarly, in the lottery, you must be in it to win it.

So, despite the enormous odds, why do people gamble in a lotto game?

One reason is the issue of availability bias. People think winning is very likely if they hear about recent lottery winners.2

But how likely is it that you will win soon this year?

Understanding the Odds

On average, winning the U.S. Powerball will take 292 million attempts. If you play 100 tickets every week, then you need 2,920,000 weeks. That corresponds to 56,154 years (if you ever lived that long). You see, the risk of losing your money is very high.

The odds of winning any prize in Powerball are 1 in 24.87. Therefore, the probability that a single ticket won’t win a prize is 0.9598. If you play two tickets, then we take this number squared.

P(losing) = 0.95982

To get a 50/50 shot of winning a prize, you must purchase at least 17 tickets. To get a 99.99% guarantee of winning any prize, you will need 224 tickets.3

P(winning any prize) = 1 – 0.9598224 tickets

However, note that you will likely win a $4 prize, as the payout favors the lowest-tier prize.

That said, don’t believe you can win small prizes more frequently while waiting for a big win. The lottery cannot be an alternative source of income. Learning how to win the lottery requires understanding how it works randomly in many draws.4

Play lottery games for fun.

Don’t take the lottery too seriously. Play just for fun. And the lottery is fun and quite interesting, as I will prove to you later.

It takes a lot of proper attitude, patience, and perseverance to play and win.

The truth is that no one can beat the odds. But people do play anyway.

Like kids, adults play around, too.

So occasionally, playing just for fun and taking a shot at the tease of “What if I win?” that comes with it is not a bad idea.

However, some people think they have a smart solution to beat the odds. Some people tried to rig the system with no success.5

No lottery hack can ever predict the exact winning number combination.6

Sure, a supercomputer algorithm or AI can be useful for saving us from the tedious task of combinatorial calculations. But definitely, it cannot predict the next winning numbers.

And lastly, no fortune teller or psychic guy next door can help you.

So what can you do then?

Well, at least have a good sense of mathematical strategy. And that’s the good news.

Let’s talk about how you can refine your number selection strategy and enhance your understanding of how to win the lottery.

Trust Math to Support Your Gut Feeling

Mathematically, you can increase your chances of winning.

How?

By buying more tickets.

That’s the only way to increase your chance of winning.

But buying more tickets is useless if you are making the wrong choices.

One of the reasons most players don’t play 1-2-3-4-5-6 is that many players do the same thing. That’s true. If this line ever wins a lottery draw, the possibility of splitting the jackpot prize is very high.

But that should not be the right explanation for not playing or avoiding certain lines.

We have to stop explaining things in English.

You have to be able to explain your choices through strong mathematical reasoning.

For one, you cannot apply the same reason for 01-10-11-20-21-22.

Take a look at the following lines below:

  • 20-21-30-31-40-41 (three sets of consecutive numbers)
  • 01-11-21-31-41-51 (all numbers ending in 1)
  • 11-22-33-44-55-66 (skip counting by 11)

I asked 100 lotto players if they would spend money on these combinations, and they all replied with a resounding NO.

Surprisingly, all these players believe that all combinations are equally likely.

Most people do not trust their math even though they know all combinations have the same likelihood of winning.

Their gut feeling takes over.

But WHY?

If all combinations are equally likely, why be afraid to bet on certain lines?

Gut feeling without a calculated guess is not an acceptable explanation.

When you have a strong mathematical foundation, you will never doubt your choices.

How to win the lottery using math

Earlier, I mentioned that no one would have prior knowledge of precisely what will occur in the next draw. Not even by a paranormal creature (if that also exists).

When magical help is unavailable, mathematics remains the only excellent tool you can use to achieve lottery success.

This is how to win the lottery: Cast your line where the fish are biting. This metaphorical image depicts how probability theory works in the lottery. Five friends are fishing in the ocean. One is catching more while the other four are missing the fish.
Cast your line where the fish are biting. This metaphorical phrase advises lottery players to focus their efforts where they are most likely to find success. Lotterycodex utilizes combinatorics and probability theory to determine the combinations that will give you a more favorable shot in the context of lottery games.

Fortunately, doing your best shot is possible with a lottery formula using combinatorial math and probability theory.7

I’m sorry, but statistics are not the right mathematical tools to analyze the lottery. Why? Because the lottery is finite. And since it is finite, any question you ask is a probability problem to solve, not a statistical one. There’s no need for sampling, and there’s no need for historical results.

So, stop using statistical analysis to pick numbers. Statistics is not the right tool for analyzing lottery games.

Let me remind you that calculations differ from one lottery to another. But no matter what lotto games you play, combinatorial mathematics and probability theory work the same for all of them.

So, if you are ready to unleash the power of math in learning how to win the lottery, keep reading below.

Choose the Right Lottery Game

If you want to win the U.S. Powerball or U.S. Mega Millions, you will struggle with your chances of winning.

Going for a smaller lottery game that offers better odds despite smaller jackpot prizes would be best. It is easier to win that way.

How can you win the lottery by choosing the right lottery game?

The first factor is the number field—the lesser the number field, the better the odds. For example, a lottery with 42 balls is better than a lottery with 49 balls.

32 is better than 35, and 35 is better than 39. That’s simple.

The second factor is the pick size. The lesser the pick size, the better your odds of winning. For instance, a pick-5 game is better than a pick-6 lotto game.

Considering the two factors together gives you a better picture of the game’s overall odds.

A 6/42 lotto system is better than a 6/49 game.

Similarly, a 5/42 game is better than a 6/42 game.

And a 5/35 lotto system is easier to win than a 5/42 game.

The table below will give you an idea of the odds of different lottery games.

This table of odds from different lottery systems.  The 5/20 has odds of 1 to 15,503.  A 6/90 game has odds of 1 to 622,614,629. The better choice is 5/20

Based on the table above, the 5/20 system offers better odds for you.

So, in your local lottery community, always choose a lotto system with a small pick size and fewer balls.

But watch out for the extra ball. The extra ball may affect your chances of winning.

It takes many different names, depending on what games you are playing. For the U.S. Powerball, it is called the “Powerball.” In Euro Millions, it’s called “lucky star.”

Some lottery systems take the extra ball from the same drum. For instance, the Tattslotto system takes two supplementary numbers from the same drum, which makes this lottery more favorable than the U.S. Powerball or the U.S. Mega Millions.

In the Irish Lottery system, the supplementary numbers are taken from the same drum, so that’s an easy game like the Tattslotto.

However, some lottery systems take the extra ball from a different drum. A system like this makes the lottery a harder one to win.

For instance, the U.S. Powerball lets you pick five from 69 numbers. The odds would have been 1 to 11 million. But because you must match the red Powerball to win the grand prize by choosing numbers from 1 to 26, your odds become 1 to 292 million.

How do we compute the odds of the lottery?

First, we must determine the number of possible combinations. To determine the total possible combinations, we use the binomial coefficients formula.8

We express binomial coefficients using the following formula:

Binomial coefficient is an essential formula in probability theory where it calculates the possible combinations from a set

Where:

n = The size of the number field
r = the pick-size

Therefore, in a lotto 6/49 system, the total possible combinations are:

n = 49
r = 6
Total combinations = 13,983,816

From that given value, determining the odds is as simple as separating the number of ways you win and lose.

The formula to calculate odds of the lottery. It is basically the separation between the possible ways to win and the possible ways to lose

Therefore, the odds in favor of winning the grand prize are expressed in the following way:

Odds of winning the grand prize = 1 / (13,983,816 minus 1)

The formula means you have one way to win over 13,983,815 ways to lose.

The table below shows you the odds of the most popular lotteries in the world.

Odds of the most popular lottery systems in the world.  Trinidad/Tobago Cash Pot 5/20 is the lottery with the easiest odds.

The table above shows Trinidad/Tobago Cash Pot 5/20 with the lowest odds. This lottery is an excellent game if you live in Trinidad/Tobago.

On the other hand, it is the Italian Superenalotto with the toughest odds to beat. The bigger the lottery’s number field, the harder it is to win.

Of course, a lottery with a huge jackpot is usually harder to win. It’s fun to imagine what it will be like to live with huge millions in your bank account. That’s why people start with a large and more popular lottery game for a better payout.

I suggest you define what you want in life. How much is big enough depends on you.

Ultimately, you choose the lottery game that is not too hard to win yet offers a jackpot prize big enough to change your life. There’s no reason to rush. Start with the low-hanging fruit.

Don’t underestimate the power of a lottery system with a small jackpot prize. For example, the Illinois Lucky Day Lotto doesn’t require an extra ball. You might want to consider this game with a starting jackpot of $100,000 that grows and the odds that are 239 times easier than the Powerball and 248 times better than the Mega Millions. At the time of writing, the jackpot of the Lucky Day Lotto is $350,000.

Tip #1
Choose a lottery game with less balls and less pick size.

Make Informed Decisions When Choosing Numbers

I always encounter people everywhere saying, “All combinations are equally likely.”

I agree.

There’s no question that a 1-2-3-4-5-6 combination is equally likely as any six numbers you can pick from the top of your head. That’s because there’s only one way to win a jackpot.

The probability of 1-2-3-4-5-6 combination is equal to 1 over the total number of combinations

This probability formula works in theory. You have to look at the lottery in a different light.

How do we study lottery games and get the best shot?

Well, it’s simple.

Realize that odds and probability are two different terms. They are not mathematically equivalent.9

Probability is the measurement of the likelihood that an event will occur. Mathematically, we express probability as:

Probability is equal to the number of favorable combinations over the total number of combinations

On the other hand, odds are the ratio of success to failure.

Odds is equal to the number of favorable combinations over the difference between the total number of combinations and the favorable combinations

We can translate the above equations in the following simple terms:

Probability = Chance

Odds = Advantage

You cannot change the probability of any game.

You cannot beat the odds of the lottery.

But you have the power to choose.

The strategy is in the act of choosing better odds.

Making an intelligent choice is all about choosing the best ratio of success to failure, or advantage, in simple terms.

And how do you calculate your advantage?

Well, you look at the composition of the combination.

Let’s examine the combination 2-4-6-8-10-12. Notice that all these numbers are even numbers.

In a 6/49 game, there are 134,596 ways to combine six even numbers.

So, mathematically, you have 134,596 favorable shots to match the winning combination against the 13,849,220 ways you will not. This gives you a meager ratio of 1 to 103. That means out of 104 attempts, one is a favorable shot, and 103 are sure losses.

The odds of 6-even combinations is equal to 1 every 103 draws

From a layman’s perspective, it takes more than 100 draws before you get one favorable shot. This combination is an expensive strategy. As a lotto player, you don’t want to spend your money on 104 attempts to get one favorable shot.

Let’s examine a well-balanced odd-even combination with a 3-odd and 3-even composition.

In a 6/49 game, there are 4,655,200 ways to combine six numbers composed of three odd and three even numbers.

That means you have 33 opportunities to match the winning numbers every 100 attempts. Thus, you get closer to winning with a ratio of 1 to 2.

Odds in favor of 3-odd-3-even combinations is equal to 4,655,200 over 9,328,616 or 1 is to 2

This means that you only need three attempts to get one favorable shot.

As you can see, the composition of your combination matters.

Combinations can be organized into combinatorial groups based on their composition. Combinatorial groups exhibit varying success-to-failure ratios.

According to probability theory, if you divide the balls into two groups (odd and even numbers), a truly random lottery spreads the probability fairly between the two groups. This is why, majority of the winning combinations in a pick-6 lottery game are dominated by 3-odd-3-even composition. Winning combinations composed purely of even numbers or purely odd numbers are rare events because true randomness neither favor the odd nor the even group.

If you check the past historical results, you will see that most winning combinations are composed of balanced odd and even numbers.

The only way to explain this behavior of a truly random game is by calculating the success-to-failure ratio concerning their composition.

Ensuring a more favorable success-to-failure ratio is important when learning how to win the lottery.

You don’t want to spend your money on 100 draws to get just one favorable shot. As much as possible, you want to have more favorable shots and be closer to the winning numbers for most of the draws.

Your goal is to win the lottery, and the first thing you should know when playing a lottery game is your ratio of success to failure. You cannot change the underlying probability, and you cannot beat the lottery’s odds, but as a lotto player, you have the power to calculate and make informed choices.

It’s not easy to win the lottery. But if you play the lottery with a better ratio of success to failure, you’ll be closer to winning the jackpot prize.

Tip #2
Ensure you have a favorable success-to-failure ratio. When playing the lottery, choose the dominant composition. This dominant groups frequently occur in a lottery draw.

Be Thankful That the Lottery is Truly Random

Any external force that will disturb the random nature of a lottery game will distort the validity of any probability calculations we make.

All random events are subordinate to the dictate of probability theory.

What does it mean?

It means that the lottery is mathematically predictable to an extent.

Therefore, we can be 100% sure that any probability calculation we make is precise and accurate based on the law of large numbers.

There are two types of processes: deterministic and random. Combining the two makes them probabilistic.

In a random lottery game with finite possibilities, the lottery draw results always agree with the probability prediction.

I will show you the proof later.

Now, I am not here to give you an illusion of control. I said the lottery is mathematically predictable, which doesn’t mean we can predict the next winning numbers. You cannot predict the next winning numbers. No one can.10

But with probability theory, you can make an informed choice based on the law of large numbers.11

The image of lottery game's randomness shows streaks and clusters.
A truly random lottery suggests a sensible clue on how not to be wrong when trying to understand how to win the lottery game. Read on: A Truly Random Lottery with a Deterministic Outcome

The idea is simple.

You can use probability theory to determine the combinations that will dominate the game over time. As a lotto player, you want to be closer to this dominant group to get the best shot of winning the lottery.

Since combinations differ in composition, combinatorial groups with varying ratios of success to failure exist. Therefore, we can separate the dominant group from the rarely-occurring ones.

This mathematical prediction is not magic. It’s the power of probability theory.12

Fortunately, this mathematical strategy works in all lottery systems.

Below are examples of how math can predict the general behavior of some of the world’s most popular lottery games.

5/50 Lottery Game

This image is the 5/50 game's probability estimations:
Template #1 occurs 7 times in 100 draws, 138 times in 2000 draws and 345 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #3 occurs 6 times in 100 draws, 126 times in 2000 draws and 316 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #5 occurs 3 times in 100 draws, 69 times in 2000 draws, and 172 times in 5000 draws.

Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator

In a 5/50 lotto game, there are 56 combinatorial templates. Only two of these templates exhibit the best ratio of success to failure. Familiarizing yourself with these combinatorial templates can be your key to formulating strategies to win the lottery, as they offer a clearer perspective on the general behavior of a random lottery game.

5/69 Lottery Game

This image is the 5/69 game's probability estimations: Template #1 occurs 7 times in 100 draws, 134 times in 2000 draws and 334 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #2 occurs 6 times in 100 draws, 126 times in 2000 draws and 315 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #5 occurs 3 times in 100 draws, 59 times in 2000 draws, and 148 times in 5000 draws.

Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator

In a 5/69 lottery game, only one template from 56 is dominant. Notice that template #1 dominates lottery draws and continues to dominate as drawing events get larger and larger.

This is a mathematical certainty since a lottery game must follow the dictate of probability. This behavior will manifest as more lottery draws occur according to the law of large numbers.

6/49 Lottery Game

This image is the 6/49 game's probability estimations: Template #1 occurs 5 times in 100 draws, 106 times in 2000 draws and 265 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #4 occurs 5 times in 100 draws, 97 times in 2000 draws and 243 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #7 occurs 4 times in 100 draws, 71 times in 2000 draws, and 177 times in 5000 draws.

Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator

Only three of 84 combinatorial groups are dominant in a 6/49 lottery game. As a lotto player, you should use these three combinatorial groups to get the best shot possible.

5/70 Lottery Game

This image is the 5/70 game's probability estimations: Template #1 occurs 7 times in 100 draws, 132 times in 2000 draws and 329 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #3 occurs 6 times in 100 draws, 124 times in 2000 draws and 309 times in 5000 draws. Pattern #5 occurs 3 times in 100 draws, 66 times in 2000 draws, and 164 times in 5000 draws.

Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator

Only two of 56 groups are dominant in a 5/70 lottery game. If you play the Mega Millions, use these two templates for a more favorable success-to-failure ratio.

The lottery game’s inherent randomness makes all these probability predictions possible. And you should be thankful that the lottery is truly random.

Tip #3
Follow the dictate of probability. Probability calculations will always help you make an informed choice.

How to Win the Lottery Using the PFD-SM-BMT Strategy

Do you know what FOMO means?

It stands for “fear of missing out.”

Some people tried not to miss out on the opportunity by playing every draw as much as possible.

I know.

FOMO is a big deal because you worry that your combination may occur if you don’t play.

True. That may happen. But most likely not.

The likelihood that your numbers will come out is about 1 in 292 million (if you play the U.S. Powerball).

So, FOMO, as far as the lottery is concerned, is pure “irrational fear.”

Again, you must understand the concept of odds.

If you play just one ticket per week, it will take you 5.6 million years to win. So winning may probably not happen to you in your lifetime.

Instead of FOMOing, you can implement the PFD-SM-BMT strategy. The acronym stands for Play Fewer Draws, Save Money, Buy More Tickets.

More tickets will give you more probability of winning. And that is especially true when you employ a lottery wheel (aka combinatorial covering in mathematics). Read on: Lottery Wheel: A Clever Mathematical Strategy That Works

For example, if you buy one ticket for the 6/49 game, your probability of winning is 1 in 14 million.

If you buy two tickets, your probability of hitting the jackpot increases to 1 in 7 million. Buying more tickets also increases your probability of hitting the jackpot prize.

So how could this thing possibly work?

Since there are 13,983,816 total combinations in a 6/49 lottery, and there is only one favorable way to win a jackpot, we calculate the probability as follows:

The probability calculation for a lotto 649 system is equal to 1 divided by 13,983,816 is equal to 0.0000000715

In probability theory, we measure the probability between 0 and 1.

In probability, 0 means impossibility and 1 indicates certainty

Usually, we use a percentage to express probability. We also use the fractional presentation with numbers rounded off for simplicity.

In layman’s terms, it’s 1 in 14 million chances.

When you buy two tickets, the probability becomes 2/13,983,816 or 1 in 7 million when we simplify the fraction.

When you buy ten tickets, your probability of winning becomes 10/13,983,816 or 1 in 1.4 million.

And so on.

In other words, more tickets equal more probability of winning

As the probability gets closer to the value of one, your chances of winning the jackpot get closer.

I hear someone asking, “Edvin, is not the probability of playing one ticket in ten separate draws the same as playing ten tickets in one draw?”

Mathematically, they are the same.

10/13,983,816 = 10 x (1/13,983,816)

However, playing one ticket for each draw won’t allow you to play strategically using the power of covering. Covering is a powerful mathematical method to learn when you study how to win the lottery.

We will talk more about this covering strategy below.

The table below shows the probability of winning the jackpot based on the number of distinct tickets you play on a lotto 6/49 system.

The probability of buying more than 1 ticket.  There's a zero probability if you don't buy a ticket.  The probability is certain if you buy all the possible combinations.

I put a zero on the first line to indicate that winning is impossible without buying a lottery ticket.

On the other hand, if you play all the 13,983,816 unique combinations, the probability of winning the lottery is a sure thing.

Of course, buying all the tickets is not achievable. Somewhere in the middle, you’ve got to define how many tickets you can afford to buy.

Spend only the money you can afford to lose for the price of FUN. Remember, the lottery is a random game. And you should play the lottery for fun.

Now, probability analysis differs for each lottery format. The Mega Millions game uses different probability calculations from the Powerball game.

The table below shows the calculations for different lotteries.

The probability of buying 1, 20, and 300 tickets in different lottery systems
The table indicates that the Trinidad/Tobago Cash Pot 5/20 presents the most advantageous odds among the lotteries featured.

Tip #4
Skip some drawings to save money, then use the savings to buy more tickets.

How to Win the Lottery Using Odd and Even Numbers

To understand the probability of a combination based on odd and even numbers, we need to find how odd and even numbers are combined to form a combination.

In a pick-6 lottery system, you can combine numbers with odd and even numbers in seven ways.

CompositionSample combination
6 odd and 0 even3 – 7 – 19 – 21 – 33 – 41
5 odd and 1 even5 – 9 – 13 – 23 – 31 – 42
4 odd and 2 even1 – 4 – 11 – 28 – 39 – 45
3 odd and 3 even6 – 9 – 18 – 23 – 31 – 42
2 odd and 4 even9 – 10 – 22 – 24 – 33 – 40
1 odd and 5 even3 – 6 – 22 – 28 – 36 – 46
0 odd and 6 even2 – 4 – 12 – 20 – 30 – 42

Based on our calculations, 3-odd-3-even groups will be the dominant group. Your job is to pick numbers closer to this dominant group to get more favorable shots.

There’s no point wasting your money on compositions that only give you less favorable shots.

Of course, you don’t get any prize for matching the composition. You only win when you match all the numbers. You use the composition as your basis to guide you closer to the winning combination.

Let me show you a probability study I have conducted on a real lottery system.

6/45 Lottery Odd-Even Analysis

The comparison graph below shows the probability prediction versus the 949 Australian Tattslotto game draws.

The data were collected from January 7, 2006, to March 16, 2024.

This image shows the agreement between prediction and actual statistics. The 3-odd-3-even composition dominates the Tattslotto draws with 949 draws from January 7, 2006 to March 16, 2024.

How to Win Tattslotto According to Math

As you can see, the probability estimation matches the actual 949 Tattslotto draws very closely.

For a 6/45 system, the probability for the 3-odd-3-even composition is 0.33484590659860100. Based on that value, we expect this group to occur about 318 times in 949 draws.

We estimate by multiplying the probability by the number of draws.

Estimated frequency(3-odd-3-even) = 0.3348 x 949 = 317.7252 = 318 times

The actual results of the Tattslotto from January 7, 2006, to March 16, 2024, show that 3-odd-3-even occurred 296 times, and we estimated about 318 times. It’s not exact, but the prediction is very close.

The comparison graph above shows that the close agreement between prediction and observed frequency indicates that you can predict the lottery (to an extent).

What I mean by lottery prediction is that we can determine the composition that will dominate the lottery draws over time.

More proof from actual lottery draws.

You don’t need past lottery results to know what works in the lottery. To analyze a lottery game, we only need two variables.

For instance, in a UK Lotto 6/59 game, the variables are:

n = 59

r = 6

Those two variables are enough to calculate the future outcome of the game. Therefore, we don’t need any statistical analysis of the game.

The good thing about probability calculations is that they can be proven. The best way to prove the calculation is to compare it with the actual lottery results.

For example, we use the probability value to estimate the likely outcome of a certain combinatorial group at a given number of draws.

Expected Frequency(group) = Probability X Number of draws

We then compare our estimation with the actual lottery results. To prove that our calculation is correct, it must follow this one simple rule:

The expected frequency should closely match the observed frequency with sufficiently large draws.

You have already seen my probability analysis for the Tattslotto 6/45. Probability theory must apply to all kinds of lottery systems.

Below are more proofs from other lottery systems:

This image shows the Euro Jackpot 5/50 from March 23, 2012 to March 15, 2024 with 728 draws. The predicted frequency closely matched with that of the actual frequency. 3-odd-2-even pattern has predicted frequency of 237.  In the actual draw the 3-odd-2-even occurred 227 times.  The 0-odd-5-even is predicted to occur 18 times, in the actual it occurred 23 times.

How to Win Eurojackpot According to Math

This is the Euro Millions 5/50 game April 16, 2004 to March 15, 2024 with 1,705 draws. 3-odd-2-even is predicted to occur 555 times.  In the actual draw, the 3-odd-2-even pattern actually ocurred 585 times which closely matched with probability prediction. The same thing happen to 0-odd-5-even.

How to Win Euromillions According to Math

This is the Irish Lotto 6/47 game from September 5, 2015 to March 16, 2024 with 890 draws. The 3-odd-3-even composition is predicted to occur about 297 times and the 0-odd-6-even composition is predicted to occur about 8 times.  The prediction closely matched with that of the actual draws.

How to Win Irish Lotto According to Math

This is the U.S. Powerball 5/69 game from October 7, 2015 to March 16, 2024 with 646 draws.  The 3-odd-2-even composition was predicted to occur about 329 times.  The 0-odd-5-even was predicted to occur 25 times.  The actual Powerball draws did coincide with the prediction.

How to win the US Powerball

Did you notice how close probability predictions are to the actual lottery results? That is the power of mathematics.

Tip #5
Lotto numbers must have a balanced mixture of odd and even numbers.

How to Win the Lottery Using Low and High Numbers

Again, to calculate the probability, we have to take everything from the context of combinatorial compositions.

This time, let’s make use of a 5/69 lotto game. A famous example of a 5/69 game is the U.S. Powerball.

To start, let’s divide the 69 numbers into two sets:

Low numbers = {1,2,3,4,5,6,…,35}

High numbers = {36,37,38,39,40,…,69}

We don’t include the extra ball in a probability study because there’s no way you can define composition out of a single extra ball. So, it is not mathematically practical.

Knowing how to win the lottery is mathematically challenging; our ability to strategize is pretty much limited to the main drum where the primary balls are drawn, and adding the extra ball to the equation is just not realistic.13

We will only use the 69 balls from the primary drum. Therefore, the total number of possible combinations in a 5/69 game is 11,238,513.

Based on the probability of each composition, we can predict the likely outcome of the U.S. Powerball 5/69 in 100 draws.

Probability theory predicts that a 5/69 lottery game will be dominated by 3-low-2-high and 2-low-3-high combinations.
How to Win Powerball According to Math

According to the dictate of probability theory, it is rare for a lottery draw to select items from a single set exclusively. Neither the lower range (low set) nor the higher range (high set) gets an inherent advantage.

This explains why 32% of the winning combinations typically consist of a well-balanced mixture of low and high numbers.

And here’s the proof.

Below is a comparison graph showing the probability prediction versus the Powerball game’s 1,008 actual draws from October 7, 2015, to March 16, 2024.

This is Powerball low-high pattern analysis as of March 16, 2024.  In 1,008 draws, the 3-low-3-high pattern was predicted to occur about 329 times.  The 0-low-5-low was predicted to occur 29 times.  The actual Powerball draws did closely coincided with the prediction.

Take a look at the graph for the Mega Millions game below. The comparison graph shows the probability prediction compared to the Mega Millions game’s 628 draws from October 31, 2017 to March 08, 2024.

This is the Mega MIllions low-high pattern analysis as of March 8, 2024.  The 3-low-2-high pattern was predicted to occur about 202 times.  While the 0-low-5-high pattern was predicted to have 17 occurrences.  The actual Mega MIllions' 628 draws did closely matched with the estimation.

If you play the Mega Millions game, you should pick your numbers to match the combinatorial composition that occurs more frequently.

Tip #6
When picking combination, choose the one composed of balanced low and high numbers.

Advanced Combinatorial and Probability Analysis

I have explained the odd-even and low-high compositions. But these basic types of combinations barely scratch the surface.

Probability analysis can be problematic if you are not careful.

For example, a combination such as 1-2-3-4-5-6 falls under the 3-odd-3-even composition. Therefore, according to our odd/even analysis, such a combination is dominant.

But we know it’s not true because, conversely, from our low/high analysis, a combination composed of purely low numbers has a very low success-to-failure ratio.

When you deal with two separate analyses, you encounter two contradicting conclusions.

Therefore, we must find a way to integrate the two analyses and provide only one solid recommendation.

Thankfully, there is a solution.

The solution is to combine the two analyses, ensuring an accurate and fair probability distribution across the entire number field.

The results of this combinatorial analysis are a list of Lotterycodex templates that will serve as a simple guide to help you make informed choices.

Let’s talk about some examples of these Lotterycodex templates below.

How to Win the Lottery Using Lotterycodex Templates

It’s important to understand that “choosing the right template will not win you any grand prize.” You win only when you match all the right numbers.

But these templates are an excellent guide to help you pick numbers with the best shot possible.

The tables below are examples of combinatorial analysis made possible using a Lotterycodex calculator.

Lotterycodex groups applicable to all 5-32 games such as Idaho Weekly Grand, Colarado Cash 5, Kansas Super Cash. 5-32 game has 4 dominant templates.
This Lotterycodex analysis for a 5/32 game applies to Idaho Weekly Grand, Colorado Cash 5, Super Kansas Cash, and all 5/32 games anywhere in the world.
The 5-39 game has 3 dominant templates out of 56 with 575,757 total combinations. This calculation is applicable to California Fantasy 5, Maine Gimme 5, Michigan Fantasy 5, Missouri Show me Cash, and all 5-39 games.
This Lotterycodex analysis of the 5/39 Lotto game applies to California Fantasy 5, Maine Gimme 5, Missouri Show Me Cash, and all 5/39 games worldwide.
A 5-60 lotto game has 4 dominant templates out of 56 with 5 million combinations. These combinatorial groups apply to all Cash for Life 5/60 games and all 5/60 games around the world.
This Lotterycodex analysis of the 5/60 Lotto game applies to Cash for Life in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, and all 5/60 games elsewhere.

The idea of using the Lotterycodex templates is straightforward. There’s no point spending your money on combinatorial groups that occur once in 10,000 draws. Your goal as a player is to get the best success-to-failure ratio.

Many players likely choose combinations with a very poor S/F ratio. You might be doing the same without realizing it.

You can’t fix something you don’t know exists.

Know the dominant groups in your lottery game and make an informed choice.

Tip #7
Choose the dominant combinatorial group to get the best shot possible.

Win the Lottery Using a Lottery Wheel

Buying more tickets is the only way to increase your chance of winning the lottery.

But buying more tickets can be done in two ways:

  1. You pick random combinations, which creates numbers out of thin air. Another example is using a quick pick machine.
  2. You pick combinations generated by a lottery wheel and select combinations strategically using the mathematical method of covering.

The big difference between the two is that the former generates combinations randomly, and the latter generates combinations strategically to ensure lottery success to some degree.

Simply put, a lottery wheel is a combinatorial calculation that effectively traps the winning numbers when certain conditions are met. Learn more: Lottery Wheel: A Clever Mathematical Strategy That Works

Players looking for tips on how to win the lottery found lottery wheeling a clever tool. There are many kinds of lottery wheeling systems, the most popular being the full wheel, abbreviated wheel, and filtered wheel.

Several lottery operators offer players the option to play the full-wheeling system. In Australia, this is called system play.

This is how the lottery wheel works. In a pick-5 lottery game, if you pick seven numbers: 8, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25, 36, the wheel will produce 21 possible combinations based on these seven numbers.

Suppose the numbers 8, 17, 24, and 36 are drawn, then the system has provided you with two 4-matches and nine 3-matches.

Win the lottery using a lottery wheel system

With the full wheeling shown above, you lose on ten tickets, but at least you win on 11.

The disadvantage of the full-wheeling system is that it tends to become expensive when selecting more numbers. The more numbers you choose, the more combinations you need to buy for maximum win coverage.

For instance, if you select ten numbers, then it will produce 252 possible combinations. If you pick 12 numbers, the possible combinations will increase quickly to 792.

So, it comes down to how many combinations you can afford. Thus, the full wheel is more commonly useful for lottery syndicates.14

The abbreviated and filtered wheel will be an economical alternative when the budget is limited, especially for solo players.

Lottery wheeling is better implemented using a Lotterycodex calculator.

Lotterycodex is the only lottery wheel online that uses combinatorial math and probability theory in one system to separate combinatorial groups based on their varying success-to-failure ratios, helping you play the lottery intelligently.

Tip #8
Use Lotterycodex calculator as a lottery wheel. Lotterycodex puts combinatorics and probability theory together in one system to separate the dominant group and help you make an informed choice.

The Strategy of Skipping Draws

Do you know that probability theory provides information about when you should skip the lottery?

It does. However, it should be noted that probability cannot tell the perfect timing. Probability helps to an extent.

For instance, once a combinatorial group occurs in yesterday’s draw, you know it’s not likely to happen again in the next draw. It may happen, but most likely not. At least, that’s how it works most of the time.

However, we must see the bigger picture to understand how the lottery works.

Let me explain that bit by bit.

Each lottery draw is independent.

The lottery is a random game. That’s true.

Each drawing in the lottery always provides random results independent of the past draws.

That means yesterday’s winning combination may occur in the next draw.

And no matter how improbable, the same combinatorial composition may occur twice.

In a truly random game, we do not know what will happen. We do not know when certain things will happen. That’s because past draws cannot influence the outcome of the succeeding draws.

However, you must realize that each lottery drawing is a small part of a larger picture.

Many people fail to see how the lottery works as a whole. They only see what happens in an individual draw.

Physical laws govern the universe, and the laws of mathematics govern the lottery.

So don’t just look at the lottery from a small number of draws. Try to understand how the lottery works to see the larger picture.

So, what law in mathematics governs the lottery?

We are speaking of the law of large numbers.

The law of large numbers

The law of large numbers states that given enough trials, the actual outcomes always converge on the expected theoretical outcomes.

As draws continue, the lottery follows a particular path as probability dictates.

As demonstrated, we can predict the combinatorial group that will dominate the lottery.

This prediction is possible because each combinatorial group holds a probability value that, when tested over large draws, the lottery’s actual results always closely match the theoretical calculation.

So, no matter how random and independent its draw may seem, the lottery follows a certain path as dictated by the principle of probability.

As the lottery draw occurs to infinity, the expectation and actual frequency agreement becomes more apparent.

When we have to study the lottery as a whole, we enter into the realm of the law of large numbers. And therefore, the issue of each draw being independent becomes irrelevant.

This bigger picture of the lottery is essential because when you see the game’s behavior over a large number of draws, you know how to play and be smart the majority of the time.

And one of the smart moves you can make is the strategy of “skipping.”

How to win the lottery by skipping draws?

Ok, the LLN does not help you win the lottery per se.

However, knowing how probability theory works provides useful information about when to skip a draw.

Let’s use Lotterycodex templates in a 5/35 lottery system. One template has a success-to-failure ratio of 1:13 and occurs about seven times in 100 draws.

This tells you to skip the next draw if the same template occurs in yesterday’s draw. While skipping, you can save some entertainment money.

Of course, the same template may reoccur on the succeeding draw, such as on the third, fourth, or fifth draw. However, the probability that it may happen is minuscule because the law of large numbers has to take effect.

Since we understand how the lottery works, we have probability theory to guide us in dealing with this randomness and making better decisions for most draws.

Because probability cannot suggest the perfect timing to play, you can start playing on the 8th or 9th draw. Again, we don’t know. But thankfully, we have a probability principle to give us a clue.

So, the number of draws you do not play because you know your chosen template is not due is a huge money saver.

Learn how to win the lottery by skipping some draws. Use this opportunity to set aside money to play more lines when your chosen template is due and ready to occur.

Tip #9
Use Lotterycodex templates to know when to skip and when to play

Avoid the Improbable

One of the famous quotes of Sherlock Holmes says:

Eliminate the impossible; whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Sherlock Holmes

Earlier, we discussed that in probability theory, zero indicates impossibility, and one means certainty. Therefore, winning a jackpot prize is impossible if you don’t buy a ticket.

When you buy a ticket, your decision matters. If you don’t know the possible choices, some of your choices might be leaning away from the dominant trend. It’s important to know what’s probable and what is improbable.

Sherlock Holmes reinforces the fact that improbable things occur.

True, improbable events indeed occur in the lottery. Therefore, one might say it’s okay to pick an unusual combination. Right?

Wrong.

Let me explain.

Consecutive numbers

Perhaps the most popular combination that epitomizes the consecutive pattern group is the infamous 1-2-3-4-5-6.

According to a report by TheGuardian, about 10,000 people play this type of number combo in every draw. A massive number of players will bring home measly prize each should this combo happen in a draw.15

But aside from that, a combination of this type can come in different flavors, such as the following:

Two sets of consecutive numbers1-2-3, 40-41-42
Three sets of consecutive numbers1-2, 30-31, 50-51
Three sets of consecutive numbers in one group11-12, 15-16, 18-19
Two sets of consecutive numbers in one group30-31-32, 37-38-39
Four consecutive numbers1, 66-67-68-69

These seemingly improbable combinations are not impossible, as history shows strange winning combinations occasionally occur in real lottery draws.

strange and unusual winning numbers in the lottery.  Examples are five numbers from twenty group.  or 4 straight consecutive numbers.

It’s unsurprising to see winning numbers containing three or four consecutive numbers. And we shouldn’t be surprised to witness winning combinations containing numbers from one number group.

Mathematically, all these unusual winning numbers “must occur” because, according to the law of truly large numbers or LTLN, unusual things, outrageous events, and coincidences can occur if given abundant opportunities.16

But just because unusual numbers can be winning numbers doesn’t mean you must pick your numbers the same way.

As a smart lotto player, your main objective is to follow the dominant trend based on the law of large numbers.

Please don’t be confused between the law of truly large numbers and the law of large numbers. They are two different laws. The law of truly large numbers (LTLN) explains why unusual events occur in all random events. On the other hand, the law of large numbers (LLN) concludes the lottery’s general outcome from many draws.

Let me show you the actual results of real lotteries and see if you can spot a trend. You don’t need to understand how LLN or LTLN work for now, but by looking at the tables below, you will understand why you should avoid improbable combinations at all costs.

Frequently analysis of the Tattslotto game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with no consecutive numbers and at least two consecutive numbers occur more frequently. Combinations having no consecutive numbers getting the lions share of the graph.
Frequency Analysis of the US Powerball game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with a lot of consecutive pairs occur less frequently. Combinations with no consecutive numbers getting the lion's share of the graph.
Frequency analysis of the Euro Millions game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with no consecutive numbers and at least two consecutive numbers occur more frequently than other categories.
Frequency analysis of the Euro Jackpot game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with no consecutive numbers and at least two consecutive numbers occur more frequently in 729 draws. Combinations without consecutive numbers exhibiting 488 occurrences.
Frequency analysis of the Irish Lotto game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with no consecutive numbers and at least two consecutive numbers occur more frequently. Combinations without consecutive numbers having 447 occurrences of 891 draws. Combinations with one set of consecutive numbers exhbiting 344 occurences.
Frequency analysis of the Mega Millions game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with a lot of consecutive pairs occur less frequently in 630 draws. Combinations without consecutive numbers occurred 461 times. Combinations with at least one set of consecutive numbers occurred 154 times.
Frequency analysis of the UK Lotto game as of March 21, 2024 shows that combinations with a lot of consecutive pairs occur less frequently in 876 draws.

Watch out for regularity.

Another type you should avoid at all costs is the combination that exhibits regularity.

For example, combinations with equal intervals are unlikely winning combinations to occur.

The combination 5-12-19-26-33-40 shows seven interval between numbers.  This is improbable to occur in a lottery draw.

Or a combination where the interval is increasing at the same rate.

The combination 5-12-20-29-39-50 shows the interval between numbers are increasing by one. A demonstration of what is improbable in a draw.

Out-of-balance combination

Winning numbers in a random draw tend to balance across the number field. Therefore, probability says you should pick combinations to represent number groups in a balanced way.

Here are some examples of out-of-balance combinations:

CombinationWhy improbable
7-23-24-26-28-29Groups 10-19, 30-39, 40-49 are not represented
5-7-11-14-16-19Groups 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 are not represented
10-12-15-16-18-19Numbers belong to only one group
40-41-42-43-44-45All numbers belong to only one group and all consecutive
1-2-3-30-31-32Two sets of consecutive numbers from two groups

We don’t say that an out-of-balance combination has no chance of occurring in a lottery draw. We say such a combination is highly improbable and not a good bet.

Using a Lotterycodex calculator to generate numbers for you will indicate if a combination is improbable.

If you have played the lottery for many years, you have probably spent money on one of these improbable groups.

Tip #10
Avoid non-random combinations. Always pick your combination from a group with the best success-to-failure ratio.

Don’t Use Statistics

Applying the statistics method in the lottery often fails because it tricks you into believing something works until enough data proves it wrong.

First, probability and statistics are two closely related disciplines, but they are two distinct concepts that approach a problem differently.

The main difference concerns our knowledge of existing facts. We first determine the known facts when we try to solve the problem. Depending on our knowledge, our problem could be either statistical or probabilistic.

For example, we have a box of 49 marbles. Let’s say there are yellow, cyan, gray, and green marbles inside the box, but we don’t know how many marbles are there for each color group.

When we don’t know the composition of the box, we immediately see that we need statistics to infer the box’s composition based on a random sample.

But this is not the case in the lottery.

The lottery has a finite set of numbers; therefore, we have adequate knowledge of the composition of the whole game.

Therefore, questions about lottery drawing are probability problems rather than statistical ones.

For instance, we can ask the question:

What is the probability of 1-2-3-4-5-6 getting drawn in tomorrow’s lotto draw?

This problem can be rephrased to:

What is the probability that we draw a combination composed of 6-low numbers?

And voila! You get compelling proof of why you should or should not play the combination 1-2-3-4-5-6 in a 6/49 game.

However, probability theory works hand in hand with combinatorial mathematics in the context of lottery games.

That’s why the Lotterycodex calculator is built upon the science of these two math principles. The results are high-precision and high-accuracy prediction, which statistics fail to provide.

Tip #11
Do not use statistics in the lottery. Use probability theory and combinatorial mathematics instead.

Don’t Waste Your Money on Silly Lotto Strategies

There has been a lot of silliness ever since the lottery was invented.

You must understand what works in the lottery and back it up with solid evidence. Any conclusion you make must be falsifiable.

Superstition doesn’t fit that criteria.

By avoiding silly lotto strategies, you are way ahead of other lottery players, even without employing a bit of math strategy.

So, what are these silly strategies that don’t work? Below are some examples:

  • hot numbers
  • law of attraction
  • numbers from your dream
  • cold numbers
  • prime numbers
  • lucky numbers
  • fortune spell
  • horoscope numbers
  • quick picks

The quick pick machine is not quite a silly lotto strategy. It’s just that it doesn’t provide better control. Why rely on the quick pick machine when you can do better than that?

Start using math to play a lottery game. If you hate math, then use a Lotterycodex calculator.

Tip #12
Superstitions will not provide the solution to the lottery puzzle. Mathematics remains the only tool you need to understand your game better.

How to Win the Lottery Each Draw

There are two groups in the lottery. One is a group that always wins in the lottery. And there’s another group that fails always.

I am sure you want to be part of the winner group. Imagine that. In each lottery draw, you win all the time.

Enter The Inverse Lotto Strategy.

The Inverse Lotto Strategy - The surefire way not to lose in every lotto draw.

If you’ve been playing the lottery for many years and all you’ve been achieving is losing lots of money, you’re doing it all wrong. Don’t be surprised; playing the lottery is a losing proposition since every ticket’s expected value is always negative.

It’s time you change the odds in your favor.

This inverse strategy is only available to the users of the Lotterycodex calculator.

Tip #13
Don’t play the lottery to lose. Lotterycodex suggests a number of ways you can play the lottery without losing money.

Play and Invest

If you play the lottery, you may win a massive windfall. But it’s also possible that it may not happen.

When you put some money into investments (e.g., stocks, mutual funds, or index funds), that money will grow over time. This doesn’t happen in a lottery game, so it is considered gambling rather than investment.

Consider the stock market as an alternative playpen if you are open to more productive entertainment.

Hey, you can do both. Consider playing the lottery as a hobby and simultaneously invest for your retirement.

When you play the lottery, make sure to consider putting more money into your retirement plan than in the lottery
Put more money into your retirement and play the lottery for fun.

Actionable Tips for Lottery Players

It’s hard to win the lottery because the odds are against you. But you can analyze your game mathematically and improve your success-to-failure ratio. Here’s the summary of what we have discussed so far:

  1. Choose the right lottery with better odds and with a better payout. Not all lotteries are created equally. Some systems are a hundred times harder to win. Choose a lottery game with easier odds and offer a life-changing payout.
  2. Make an informed choice and be mathematically right most of the time. While all combinations are equally likely, combinations are not created equally. As much as possible, you want to look at your numbers’ composition to get a better ratio of success to failure.17
  3. Follow the probability. Don’t play the lottery blindly. The lottery’s random nature will give you a clue on how to win the lottery by applying probability calculation. We cannot predict the next winning combination, but we can predict the lottery’s overall outcome according to the law of large numbers. You can play the lottery intelligently by applying combinatorial mathematics and probability theory. Use the Lotterycodex calculator to guide you on the right path.
  4. Save money so you can play more lines. Skip several draws to save money for more tickets. According to the probability theory, more tickets mean more chances of winning the lottery. Join a lottery syndicate to buy more tickets without losing your shirt. Use a lottery wheel to strategically trap the winning numbers. You can use a Lotterycodex calculator to get some help.
  5. Use the money that you can afford to lose. The negative EV of the lottery should teach you to treat the game as entertainment and not as an investment. The lottery will never replace a full-time job. Play just for fun. You should save money for lottery entertainment in much the same way as you set aside money to watch the cinema.18
  6. Make a balanced mixture of odd and even numbers. Remember that combinations are not created equally. Combinations can be grouped according to their composition. As a lotto player, you can choose the group that provides you with the best success-to-failure ratio.
  7. Make a balanced mixture of low and high numbers. A truly random lottery distributes the chance evenly across the number field. The 3-low-2-high and 2-low-3-high groups will always dominate pick-5 lottery draws. Similarly, the 3-low-3-high groups will dominate pick-6 lottery draws. It’s a mathematical certainty.
  8. Use Lotterycodex templates. Why spend money on a composition that will only occur once in 100,000 draws? You must pick your numbers based on a template with the best success-to-failure ratio to win the lottery.
  9. Know when to skip a lottery draw. When you know the probability of your chosen template, you can guess how it behaves over time. Use this information to skip some draws and set aside a budget while waiting for the right time to play when it matters.
  10. Avoid the improbable. The lottery has millions of improbable combinations. You don’t know if you’re picking them if you are unaware. When you play the lottery, pick only the dominant groups to improve your success-to-failure ratio.
  11. Don’t use statistics. Looking back at the historical results of the lottery will not provide the best clue. Learn how combinatorial math and probability theory work together to see the lottery’s future outcome.
  12. Understand that some lotto strategies don’t work. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense tip on how to win the lottery, superstition is not part of that. Mathematics remains the only tool you can trust to get the best shot possible.19
  13. Make a game plan and implement it consistently. The lottery is like a war. To win the war, you need to plan before the actual battle. Winning only comes after a long streak of losses, so anyone playing without a proper attitude can be at risk of lottery addiction. Play for fun, and remember that a lottery is not an investment.20
  14. Know how to win the lottery each draw. Do not play the lottery to lose. There is a surefire way to win the lottery if you know how to play the game from its inverse perspective. It is a winning proposition you’ve been waiting for all your life. It works for solo players, too. This inverse strategy is available for users of a Lotterycodex calculator.

I have explained how to win the lottery according to math. But there’s more to winning the game than meets the eye. I invite you to study the lottery formula that we suggest, where I detail the role of combinatorial mathematics and probability theory from the lottery context. Read on: The Winning Lottery Formula Using Math

FAQs About the Lottery

What is the best way to play the lottery?

Play the lottery as a group. A lotto syndicate can play with a covering strategy by spreading the cost of tickets among the members. The result is more chances of winning while each member is not spending too much. It’s more fun when you play as a group.

What is the best way to pick lotto numbers?

The best way is to use math to ensure a more favorable success-to-failure ratio. Calculating this ratio is possible through the study of combinatorial compositions and probability theory. If you need help, use a Lotterycodex calculator. Use a lottery wheel when you can, and avoid superstitions.

Is it possible to profit from the lottery?

It’s not possible. The expected value of the lottery is always negative. In other words, when playing the lottery, your potential financial losses often outweigh the possible winnings. Math does not lie. Don’t believe some people who say you can win small prizes frequently. These people use manipulative biases, such as confirmation bias and availability bias, to convince you of their scheme.

What is the best time to buy a lotto ticket?

You never know the best time in a random lottery game. As entertainment, the best time to play lotto is when your budget can afford it. If you are a solo player, one ticket is enough, and play only when your budget is ready. When I talk about budget, I mean the money set aside for entertainment.

Is it possible to predict the next winning numbers?

It’s not possible to predict the next winning numbers. If anyone is claiming to have the power to know before the draw, go away as fast as you can. However, from the context of the law of large numbers, a truly random lottery game follows the dictate of the probability principle. Therefore, you can predict and draw a reasonable expectation of its outcome to an extent.

How hard is it to win the lottery?

Extremely hard. For example, in Powerball, with 292 million combinations, you need 5.6 million years to win the game if you play once weekly. The odds are worse when you play the Mega Millions since the game has 302 million combinations. The first step to winning the lottery is choosing a game with better odds. Examples of lotteries with better odds are Fantasy 5, Northstar Cash, Cash 5, Weekly Grand, Gimme 5, and all those with no extra balls.

Do You Know How to Win the Lottery? Share Your Tips

Please join and add value to the conversation. Let me know your thoughts by leaving comments below. Thank you for reading :)

Additional Resources

  1. Feeling Lucky? How Lotto Odds Compare to Shark Attacks and Lightning Strikes    []
  2. Why We Keep Playing the Lottery    []
  3. How to Achieve a 50/50 Chance of Winning the Lottery    []
  4. The Truth About Winning Small Prizes in the Lottery    []
  5. The Man who Cracked the Lottery    []
  6. A Mathematical Lottery Hack That Works    []
  7. The Winning Lottery Formula Using Math    []
  8. Binomial coefficient    []
  9. Odds and Probability Explained in the Context of a Lottery Game    []
  10. Why do we think we have more control over the world than we do?    []
  11. Laws of Large Number    []
  12. Probability Theory    []
  13. How to Handle the Tricky Extra Ball    []
  14. Lottery Syndicate: A Simple Yet Effective Strategy    []
  15. The national lottery numbers: what have we learned after 20 years?    []
  16. The Law of Truly Large Numbers    []
  17. Lottery Tips – What Works and What Doesn’t    []
  18. Play The Lottery Responsibly    []
  19. The Trick to Winning the Lottery    []
  20. Lottery Addiction – Signs, Dangers, and Where To Get Help    []

18 comments

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  • Thank you for a very pragmatic and lets be real approach to demystifying the lottery as a mathematical system.

    This has been the most worthwhile article I have read in all my time as a lottery hobbyist.

  • I can’t quite remember the last time I read such a long article online. But this right here worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed the straightforward explanation and power of maths. Thank you.

  • This article is the most detailed and comprehensive guide to playing the lotto. The advice given here is extremely intelligent and practical. I have been intuitively following most of the tips given here and have had many a successful “small” win. I apply the word “heuristic” for my way of choosing. I have even used Markov Analysis to try to zero-in on timing. However, I think the best advice on timing comes from the mathematical principle of “Cover” and the wheeling system, as described in this article. I have also studied the mathematics of the Brazilian LotoRainbow and I understand it very well. It remains possible that we can always adopt additional strategies to augment the many tips given in this article. We can therefore always arrive at a very small statistical cluster of numbers that provide an almost safe and confident set of affordable numbers that can be frequently and consistently played with a decent measure of small wins.

  • When the Lotto first started in this state, I took all my savings, available cash & bought about $4,000.00 to $6,000.00 dollars of lotto tickets in Carmel. I checked each ticket manually, thinking needing all numbers to win. Several month later I realized that I had four or five tickets with five numbers correct on each. When I went back to Ron’s liquer store in Carmel to cash them in, I was told that it is too late now. I could have won about $1,000,000.00. Consequently, lost a job, not much money left & going to school & sleeping in my car, resulted from this dilemma. Only played lottos sparingly since then.

    • The problem is the odds are always against you. Therefore, buying $4,000 worth is never a good option. Even though you won $1m. Probability dictates that all other people who try your strategy will end up with less money than they put in.

      The first scratch card I ever brought won £250. They cost £1. Haven’t brought one since because although I didn’t win £1m, the second place prize of £250 had unfathomable odds. In that respect, I won the scratchcard lottery and beat it by not playing again.

      I do play the UK national lottery and win small prizes. My lottery games were initially funded by the £250 scratchcard win. 6 years later, and I’m still hovering between break even and small losses.

      This is a good position to be in as it means you are winning some of the time vs people who have rubbish numbers and never win.

      The key is understanding the odds are against you and your bank balance will always go down over time until you win big and stop playing. If this was any different lotteries would not exist as they wouldn’t be profitable business models.

      Your goal should be, how can I reduce the speed my bank balance reduces over a period of time. You do this by increasing the probability of picking good numbers. The fun part of the game is comparing your games to your friends. Seeing who wins the most and looses the least amount of money.

  • 1-good lesson, 2-winning strategy, 3-just for fun, 4-don’t take seriously, play within your limits, and lots of thanks for your favourable advise and useful recommendation on this regard, GOD BLESS and MORE POWER.

  • I haven’t read something so empowering like your articles for a long long time. I have already designed my mathametical and probablistic approach to playing lotto. In the last 5 years I have been playing soccer bets but I decided to change course and that is how I came across your articles.🙏💪

  • In a game where they draw 20 numbers out of 70, a ticket cost is $5. You need to matched at least 12 numbers and up from those 20 numbers drawn to win big prizes but there is also a trick to win at least 500$ ,if your 20 numbers are not drawn in that game, meaning you did not get any of those winning numbers. Question how to calculate or solve a possibility that my 20 combination of numbers out of 70 are not the winning numbers? Is it possible if you can share me different groups of 20 combination of possible non winning numbers out of 70 ?

  • Thank you for your valuable information. While reading your thoughts I understood you completely in that you opened my brain box to realise that I am not going to win Powerball although I try every week. I only play for fun and as you suggested I make it a little interest every Thursday. I never play the Pokies .
    My game is two power hits. If I win (if) maybe the following week , I will have 4 games.
    I like your idea of combining groups of wining numbers. Thank you again, I enjoyed your article and I think I might keep trying. Haha. Margaret.

  • Hi,

    you are writing “Of course, buying all the tickets is not achievable.”.

    Why is that? Isn’t there a way to buy for example all 229 million power bal combinations? According to my calculations with a Jackpot like now (1.7 billion) I would still win about 750 million if 3 people (including me) would win the jackpot.

    So I need 1. a system to put all bets and 2. A strong investor :D to pay about 584 million in the bets (plus all the logistics behind)

    Would like have you thoughts on that. If interested I can share my excel sheet.

    BR
    Robert

    • As someone who invests in the stock market, I’d rather use the 584 million to buy stocks that I believe in, instead of risking it in a lottery. Lottery games are not investments; they’re forms of gambling. Just play the lottery for fun.

  • Hello, thank you for your generosity in sharing such detailed and comprehensive information on having the best shot at winning the lottery. As a struggling single parent I really appreciate it your knowledge and research. Thank you! :)

  • Wow this was an amazing and insightful post. Very well detailed and allows me to walk away confident about what the Lottery offers. Feels like I can see behind the wall of a “big win” and decide for myself how I would actually like to approach the lottery in accordance to my actual budget and lifestyle. Very useful information. Thank you!

  • Hi, I am playing since last 15 months lottery draw , but I couldn’t match my one numbers also , Now I read your article ,It’s really very tuff to get my goal , But I learn from here lots , and I will try my best agian to start from 0 .Thank you so much . Can you send me more details of 1/39 Of matching numbers details please. Thank you once again.

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