An estimated $1 billion dollar Powerball jackpot will be up for grabs for the lottery’s Halloween night drawing.
After 37 consecutive drawings and no grand prize winners, including on Saturday night, the pot reached the billion-dollar threshold for the second time in the lottery’s 30-year history, Powerball said in a statement.
With more people playing with hopes of becoming a millionaire (or now a billionaire), the chances of picking winning combinations remain the same:1 in 292.2 million.
Many people play the lotto with “lucky numbers” – combinations of birthdays, dates, phone numbers, digits that come to them in dreams, and more.
While some select their own lotto numbers, others play Quick Picks, which are numbers that are randomly generated by machines.
So, is it better to play Quick Pick or to select your own numbers?
Chances of winning the lotto between playing quick picks or selecting your own numbers are both equal.
“Around 70 to 80 percent of Powerball players use Quick Pick tickets, and the same percentage of winning entries are Quick Picks,” one report said. “This shows that regardless of whether players choose to select their own numbers or not, the odds of winning remain the same.”
Despite having equal odds, both options have their pros and cons.
Playing Quick Pick is the fastest way to play, but leaves the possibility open for repeat numbers and combinations.
Selecting your own numbers gives you complete control over your numbers, but can take longer to play in stores, especially when the jackpot reaches enticing numbers for the non-regulars to want to participate.
For more information on how to play to the Powerball, click here.
FAQs
Using Quick Pick or selecting your own numbers won't significantly impact your overall odds of winning the lottery. There isn't anything legal that you can do to improve your odds of winning. Choosing your own numbers or having them selected for you won't make any difference in the long run.
Are the odds of winning the lottery the quick pick or own numbers? ›
The winning numbers are randomly drawn, meaning that ANY set of numbers has EXACTLY the same chance of winning as any other. There exists no advantage either way. It is true that most winners used quick picks, but this is because the vast majority of tickets sold are quick picks.
How do you play the best odds in Powerball? ›
Evenly distribute the numbers among odds and evens
Some Powerball veterans say that because there are an equal number of odd and even numbers for each possible pick in a Powerball string, it follows that the winning combination will tend to comprise an equal number of odd and even numbers.
Is it better to play Powerball quick pick or own numbers? ›
"There is a common misconception that the odds of winning differ depending on whether you choose your own numbers or go for a Quick Pick," Powerball.net reports. "That is not true; your chances of winning are exactly the same in both cases."
How to increase the odds of winning Powerball? ›
- Mix Even & Odd Numbers. ...
- Split Between Low & High Numbers. ...
- Add Up Those Numbers. ...
- Buy More Than One Ticket. ...
- Don't Group Your Numbers Together. ...
- Don't Repeat Winning Numbers. ...
- Try Doing The Easy Pick Yourself.
Quick Pick vs.
When it comes to quick pick tickets, or the machine picking your numbers, the Multi-State Lottery Association said: “With the data available, roughly 80% of Powerball jackpot-winning tickets are quick picks.
What are the 6 most common winning lottery numbers? ›
The most frequently drawn winning numbers from the main barrel are 17, 7, 11, 2, 3 and 9, while the least frequently drawn are 33, 15, 34, 31, 26 and 1. The most frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 19 and 2, while the least frequently drawn Powerball numbers are 14 and 16.
Is there a pattern to Powerball numbers? ›
There is no wrong way to choose Powerball numbers. There's also no magic formula to pick the winning numbers. But ... we went back and looked at the winning numbers for every drawing since the jackpot started at $20 million in April. We didn't find a particular pattern.
What is the most likely number to win the Powerball? ›
According to CSGO Luck's data, since 2015, the number 61 has been drawn 90 times in Powerball, making it the luckiest number. Following 61, 32 have been drawn 89 times, and 63 have been drawn 88 times.
What happens if you get all 5 numbers but not the Powerball? ›
Matching three main numbers and the Powerball or four main numbers, that's a $100 payout. To land a $50,000 prize, you'll have to match four main numbers and the Powerball. If you match five main numbers but not the Powerball, your ticket is worth $1 million.
Chances of winning the lotto between playing quick picks or selecting your own numbers are both equal. “Around 70 to 80 percent of Powerball players use Quick Pick tickets, and the same percentage of winning entries are Quick Picks,” one report said.
Is it better to let the computer pick lottery numbers? ›
Aside from purchasing multiple lottery tickets with different number combinations, there is no way to increase your chance of winning the lottery with one ticket, Clotfelter said. However, it can help to let the computer pick your numbers instead of choosing them yourself.
What is the best strategy to win the lottery? ›
How to increase your chances of winning? The unsurprising short answer is, buy as many tickets as you can within reason. That's according to Mark Glickman, a senior lecturer of statistics at Harvard University.
Is there a strategy to Powerball? ›
There is only one way to increase your odds of winning Powerball. You have to buy more tickets. Purchasing multiple tickets can be done in two ways: The basic method is choosing numbers randomly or using a quick pick machine.
Which Powerball ticket has the best odds? ›
There are 9 different Powerball divisions. Division 9 has the best odds of winning. The winning 7 Powerball numbers are randomly selected from a pool of 35 balls numbered 1 to 35.
What wins most quick pick or own numbers? ›
If you are going to run the numbers, more Quick Pickers than self-pickers win lottery jackpots – 70 per cent of lottery winners used Quick Pick to choose their numbers, rather than choosing their own lucky numbers.
What is the formula for picking numbers in the lottery? ›
To figure out your odds, use an equation in which "k" represents the numbers you choose correctly, "r" represents the total numbers drawn, and "n" represents the number of unique numbers the numbers will be drawn from. Without numbers, the formula looks like this: × ( r − k ) ! × ( n − r ) !
Is it better to play the same lottery numbers every time? ›
Is there a winning strategy for picking your lottery numbers? Should you choose your birthday or other lucky combinations? Repeat the same numbers or pick new ones each time? There's no science to the lottery, so go ahead and pick your favorite numbers, Kapoor said.
What numbers are most likely to win the lottery? ›
If you plan to play the drawing, do you have numbers in mind? A new study reveals the lottery numbers you should play to win big: The number 28 is drawn most often across all lotteries, with an average frequency of 201.4. The numbers 16 and 39 are second and third, with average frequencies of 200.6 and 199, ...
