Do you want to boost your probability of hitting the jackpot price in lotto? Here are nine tips on how to increase your chances of winning.
Lottery numbers are randomly drawn. But randomly drawn numbers form patterns that can be tracked and used to our advantage. Having carefully analyzed all the drawings in past lotto results of more than 200 different lotto games worldwide, with histories going back as far as 1955, Gail Howard have verified the following incredibly simple rule:
That which is LEAST POSSIBLE ha
The bad news
The lottery is truly a random game. If we talk about randomness, it’s unpredictable, and you need perseverance, persistence, and patience to be able to win the top prize.
Story short, winning the lottery is not easy. That’s why the lottery is considered a gambling activity.
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 a monumental one to 302.6 Million.
And the worst odds I have seen so far are that of the South African and the Italian Superenalotto where you choose from 90 numbers. To win in this kind of lottery format is a modern-day equivalent of wishing for a miracle.
Any statistician will tell you right off the bat, your chances of winning the lottery is so minuscule.
So a lot of people say the possibility that you get killed by a shark is much higher than winning the lottery.1 Of course, that’s not the whole truth. The truth, the probability that you meet the shark is zero when you don’t swim in the ocean.
Similarly, in the lottery, you have to 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 that winning seems very likely if they heard about recent lottery winners.2
But how likely that you are going to win soon this year?
On average, it will take 292 million attempts to win the U.S. Powerball. 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.
So don’t take the lottery too seriously. Play just for fun. And the lottery is fun and quite interesting as I will prove it to you later.
The truth is that no one can beat the odds.
But like I said earlier, 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 at all.
However, some people think that they have a smart solution to beat the odds of the lottery.
In fact, some people may go all the way out to rig the lottery with no success.3
No perfect lottery hack will ever be produced to know the prior results of the lottery.
No machine can ever predict the exact winning number combination in the lottery.
Sure, a supercomputer algorithm can prove to be useful for saving us on the tedious task of combinatorial calculations. But definitely, it cannot predict the next winning numbers.
And lastly, no fortune teller or any psychic guy next door can help you.
So how to win the lottery then?
Well, the answer is to have a good sense of mathematical strategy. And that’s the good news.
Let’s talk about what you can do to improve your number selection strategy.
The good news: winning the lottery according to math
Mathematically, you can increase your chances of winning.
I made mentioned earlier, no one will have prior knowledge precisely what will occur in the next draw. Not even by a paranormal creature (if that also exists).
So when a magical help is not available, mathematics remains the only excellent tool that you can use to achieve lottery success.
(See The Lottery and the Winning Formula According to Math).
I will reveal to you the many mathematical techniques you can use to improve your winnability. For the most part, we will deal a lot with probability theory and combinatorics.
With a little bit of math and a little bit of perseverance, you can play your game with the best shot possible.
Let me remind you that calculations differ from one lottery to another. For illustration purposes, I will use the lotto 6/49 system for the most part.
By the way, in the free lottery guide, you will get to know the complete formula for lottery success to help you start your exciting journey on the right foot.
Meantime, let me give you a brief intro to some of the mathematical ways to play the lottery one by one. (Of course, I saved the best method at the bottom so make sure you read the whole article)
Let’s begin.
Choose the lottery with better odds
If your objective is to win a huge jackpot like that of the U.S. Powerball or U.S. Mega Millions, then you will struggle with your chances of winning.
You should go for a lottery that offers better odds even though it provides less jackpot. It is easier to win that way.
Although the jackpot prize of small lotteries may not be too exciting, it is still a big one to make a difference in your life. Isn’t it?
But how do you know which one gives you better odds?
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. So of the three, 32 is the best. 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.
When you consider the two factors together, you get 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 the lottery.
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 fewer numbers.
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 in. 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 a favorable one in comparison to 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 5 from 69 numbers. If not for the extra red ball, your odds would have been one is to 11 million. But because you need to match the red Powerball to win the grand prize by choosing numbers from 1 to 26, your odds become one is to 292 million.
How do we compute the odds of the lottery?
To compute the odds, first, we need to determine the number of possible combinations. To determine the total possible combinations, we use the binomial coefficients formula which we regularly use in the field of statistics and probability.4
We express binomial coefficients using the following formula:
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 the number of ways you lose.
Therefore the odds in favor of winning the grand prize is expressed in:
Odds of winning the grand prize = 1 / (13,983,816 minus 1)
The formula means you have 1 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.
From the table above, it is Trinidad/Tobago Cash Pot 5/20 with the lowest odds. This lottery is an excellent game to play 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 the hard one to win. It’s fun to imagine how it’s going to be like to live with huge millions in your bank account. That’s why people start with the lottery that pays out the biggest prize.
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 that is big enough to change your life. There’s no reason to rush. Start with the low hanging fruits.
Don’t under-estimate the power of a lottery system with a small jackpot. It’s a big opportunity for you to win from a mathematical perspective.
You want to know how to win the lottery right? So choose your lottery game wisely.
Tip #1: Play a lottery system with better odds
Not all lotteries are created equal. Some systems are a thousand times harder to win. And you don’t want that kind of odds no matter how big the jackpot prize is. In the same token, you don’t want a lottery game that is so easy to play if the prize is not big enough to change your life.
Remember that odds and probability are two different terms
Once and for all, let’s correct the most common misunderstanding that puts most lotto players to a disadvantage.
I always encounter everywhere people say, “all combinations are equally likely.”
Of course, I agree.
There’s no question that a 1-2-3-4-5-6combination 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 same probability principle applies to everyone else picking numbers randomly.
This probability formula works in theory. But as a lotto player, you can’t embrace such one-sided calculation in practice. You have to move your numbers around and see if your math can find an advantage.
To illustrate, take a look at the following numbers below:
2-4-6-8-10-12 (multiples of two)
5-10-15-20-25-30 (multiples of five)
20-21-22-23-24-25 (six consecutive numbers)
If I ask lotto players to spend their money on those combinations, do you think they will do it?
Some of them may, but most people never will.
And that’s because most people do not trust their probability calculation.
Their gut feeling takes over.
But why?
If all combinations are equally likely, then why be afraid to spend money on those combinations.
You see, a gut feeling is not an acceptable explanation.
If you really want to win the lottery, you have to select your combination through strong mathematical reasoning.
When you have a strong mathematical foundation, you will always trust your calculation, and you will never doubt your choices.
So what is this mathematical foundation that will help you get the best shot in the lottery?
Well, it’s simple.
You have to understand the difference between ODDS and PROBABILITY. They are not mathematically equivalent.5
Let me show you the difference.
Probability is the measurement of the likelihood that an event will occur. Mathematically, we express probability as:
Odds, as explained earlier is the ratio of success to failure.
We can translate the above equations in the following simple terms:
Probability = Chance
Odds = Advantage
Now, I hope you see the point.
While you have less control over your chance of winning, you have more control over your choice of odds.
In other words, careful choice of combination is all about playing the lottery with a better advantage.
And how do you calculate your advantage?
Well, you look at the composition of the combination.
Let’s go back to the combination 2-4-6-8-10-12, notice that all these numbers are all even numbers.
In a 6/49 game, there are only 134,596 ways you can combine six numbers composed of purely even numbers.
At the right moment, you have 1 to 134,596 advantage of winning the jackpot prize.
However, because there are 13 million combinations involved in the entire 6/49 game, you don’t know when that right moment will be.
So mathematically, it means that you have 134,596 ways to match the winning combination against the 13,849,220 ways you will not.
From a layman’s point of view, it takes more than 100 draws before you get a winning advantage. And this choice of combination is an expensive strategy.
Now consider a well balanced odd-even combination.
3-odd and 3-even combinations
In a 6/49 game, there are 4,655,200 ways you can combine six numbers with 3-odd and 3-even composition.
That means in every 3 draws, you have one opportunity to match the composition of the winning numbers. Thus, you get closer to the winning numbers with a ratio of 1 is 2.
As you can see, while all combinations have the same probability, these distinct combinations can be further divided into combinatorial groups based on their composition. Each group exhibits a certain measure of advantage:
| Combinatorial Pattern | Possible Combinations | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 6-even-0-odd | 134,596 | 1:102.9 |
| 3-odd-3-even | 4,655,200 | 1:2 |
Take note that the purpose of paying attention to the combinatorial pattern is to get you closer to the winning numbers.
It’s not easy to win the lottery. But if you choose to play the lottery with a better ratio of success to failure, you’re putting yourself closer to winning the jackpot prize.
Nine Tips on How to Win the Lottery
- To increase your probability of winning, you need to buy more tickets. But the downside of this is that you may need to spend lots of money to win a price. The worth of your winnings may not be fully compensated because of the high investment you put in buying tickets. This was proven by an Australian firm who try this trick in a local lottery. But then again, buying more lottery ticket may help improve your chances of winning.
- Form a lottery syndicate where you gather money from lottery players. This means you get more tickets and lottery numbers which means you will all have better chance of hitting the jackpot. The downside is, you may have to share the jackpot price with many people. But maybe, you will not complain if your group won $500 million dollar and you have to divide it between 10 winners! If you don’t want to spend a fortune, playing a lottery syndicate will increase your odds of winning.
- Don’t choose consecutive numbers. For example, if you play a lottery with five winning numbers and you have to choose until numbers 55. The total numbers must be between 104 and 176. Studies have shown that 70% of lottery jackpots have sums that fall in this range.
- Don’t choose a number that falls in the same number group or ending with a similar digit. Although, there is a possibility that you may win, but the probability is very low.
- Look for more unpopular games played at odd times. Don’t go for lottery games that always have a winner try to explore other unpopular games. Most likely, people will all go to that lottery game, so your chance of winning is lesser. Go to the less popular, with lesser game player, so your odd of winning is higher.
- Better if you will play less popular lottery games with fewer players, so you will have less competition. You may try less popular lotteries such as Suprenalotto, Eurojackpot, and Superlotto plus. The jackpot price may seem small but the odds of winning are higher.
- Some people tend to play lotto based from the numbers of their birthday, or the birthday of a family member. If this happens, you will usually get more numbers from 1 to 31, as this corresponds to the days in the calendar method. If you choose numbers above 31, this may not increase your chance of winning but it can boost your probability of not sharing the prize with anyone.
- Keep in mind that every number in the lottery has an equal probability of being chosen as the winning number. There is no software that could predict the exact winning number. But you can increase your chance of not splitting the jackpot price if you use the not so common number.
- Play the right games. There are many kinds of lottery games that you could play. If you join the national lottery draw, there is much broader number pool as compared with a local or state lottery. In a local lottery, you have to be physically present during the draw, but the odd of winning is higher compared with a nationwide lottery.