Yeah, it’s a longshot.
But according to Math Professor Tim Chartier, there are some small actions that tip those long odds (slightly) in your favor.
How unlikely is it to win a lottery like Mega Millions or Powerball?
One way to visualize it: It’s equivalent to flipping heads on a coin 28 times in a row.
Another way to think about it: This is akin to my looking back at the past nine years, picking one second, and then asking you to guess which second I chose. The odds that you’ll get it right are incredibly long.
Does buying more tickets increase your odds?
Yes. If you buy five tickets with different numbers, you are five times more likely to win than buying just one. But, keep in mind, this is like saying you need to flip heads 28 straight times. Try it. In fact, try it five times. Try it 100 times. You are amazingly unlikely to get it any single time. So, the odds are more likely but still very unlikely.
Here is an app that lets you simulate flipping a coin 28 times. (Note, you need to select ‘Number’ to be 28.). You could do this yourself with 28 coins–toss them and see!
You are almost 300 times more likely to get hit by lightning in your lifetime than win Mega Millions. If you bought 300 tickets, only then would you have the same chances as getting hit by lightning in your lifetime.
Why don’t lotteries like Mega Millions and Powerball produce winners more frequently?
We will get a winner at some point, which is the exciting part. But, there is some math behind the growing jackpot.
First, people can pick numbers–and they tend to pick numbers from a similar range. People frequently pick birthdays and ages, which makes lower numbers more common.
Second, while someone will win, it simply can take time given how unlikely it is. The odds are made high enough to make the game compelling and get winners JUST enough that we have hope in the improbable and, frankly, it makes it fun.
When the jackpot is this high what should we think about?
Any time you play a lottery like Mega Millions or Powerball, the odds of winning stay the same. But, there are ways that you can make it more probable that you win ALL the money.
In particular, pick random numbers. If you pick your favorite number or the day of your birthday like the 7th, which is the day of the next drawing, many people can be doing the same and that puts a lot of numbers between 1 and 31. Picking your own numbers doesn’t change the odds of winning. But, picking random numbers does increase the odds that if you win, no one else wins.
Should we stay away from numbers that were in the last drawing?
The balls are random so there is a very slim chance that a number will repeat–in the neighborhood of 3 or 4%. But, don’t forget: You have the same chance that any other ball is chosen, too.
FAQs
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 there a trick to winning the Powerball? ›
Experts suggest that you should add up the five numbers you pick and try to stay within a target range. The preferred range is between 140 and 240 after your five number are added together. More than half of the winning number combinations fall in that range.
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 method to winning the lottery? ›
To better your chances of winning any lottery, you have to buy more tickets, he said. The more tickets, the more chances of choosing the right combination of numbers.
Is there a formula to win Powerball? ›
There is no wrong way to choose Powerball numbers. There's also no magic formula to pick the winning numbers.
How to win the Powerball lottery mathematically? ›
There is only one known way to ensure winning the jackpot. That is to buy at least one lottery ticket for every possible number combination. For example, one has to buy 13,983,816 different tickets to ensure to win the jackpot in a 6/49 game.
Do quick picks ever win the Powerball? ›
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.
How to win Powerball guaranteed? ›
Guaranteeing a Powerball jackpot win is theoretically possible, but it's basically impossible to pull off in practice. Securing a smaller Powerball win is more realistic, but you'll probably still lose more than you gain. Investing is a surer way to grow your wealth over time.
What is the most likely number to win the Powerball? ›
What are the six most common numbers drawn for the Powerball jackpot? According to USA Mega, which collects data since October 2015, the five most popular numbers are 61, 32, 21, 63, and 36. The most popular Powerball number is 18.
Who won the lottery 14 times? ›
Stefan Mandel, a Romanian-Australian economist, developed a formula that's allowed him to win the lottery 14 times.
The luckiest number in Mega Millions is 31, which occurred in 217 drawings, and in Powerball, it's 39, which showed up in 334 drawings. In Powerball, 60 is the unluckiest number; in Mega Millions, it's 72.
Has the same Powerball number hit twice? ›
Well, it's not the first time this has happened, but it's definitely not common. The last "repeat" in numbers occurred in the Saturday, May 20, 2023, Powerball drawing: 17-23-32-38-63 and the Powerball was 23.
What is the formula for the lottery algorithm? ›
Understand the calculations involved.
To find the odds of winning any lottery, divide the number of winning lottery numbers by the total number of possible lottery numbers. If the numbers are chosen from a set and the order of the numbers doesn't matter, use the formula. r ! ( n − r ) !
Has anyone ever won Mega Millions with Quick Pick? ›
$522 Million (California)
Once again, this winning ticket was a result of a Quick Pick. The lucky winner chose to take the cash option of $340 million before taxes and said she planned to pay off debt and buy a new home with her newfound fortune.
How can I increase my chances of winning the lottery? ›
Choose Random Numbers: Avoid picking obvious patterns like birthdays or sequences; use random numbers. Play Less Popular Games: Smaller lotteries or less popular games may have better odds and less competition. Consistent Play: Regularly participate in every draw to not miss out on any winning opportunity.
How do most Powerball winners pick their numbers? ›
9 Ways Lottery Players Choose Their Winning Numbers
- Birthdays & Anniversaries. Many people choose numbers that hold personal significance, such as birthdays or special dates. ...
- Lucky Numbers. ...
- Going Random. ...
- Family Member's Ages. ...
- Random Patterns. ...
- Dreams & Intuition. ...
- Recurring Numbers. ...
- Fortune Cookies.
Using the most commonly drawn winning numbers can increase your chances of winning. The three most common winning numbers overall are 61, 32 and 63. Other top numbers are 21, 36, 69, 39, 23, 59 and 62. Choosing the most commonly drawn Powerball numbers can increase your odds, namely 24, 18, 4, 10 and 21.
What is the most likely numbers to win Powerball? ›
What are the 'luckiest' Powerball numbers?
- 63: Drawn 87 times.
- 21: Drawn 86 times.
- 36: Drawn 84 times.
- 23: Drawn 82 times.
- 69: Drawn 81 times.
- 37: Drawn 79 times.
- 62: Drawn 78 times.
- 39: Drawn 78 times.
Picking your own numbers doesn't change the odds of winning. But, picking random numbers does increase the odds that if you win, no one else wins.
