Last updated on May 24, 2024
Winning the lottery is life-changing. Get that one good win, and you’re all set. But how to win the lottery? A magical button is unavailable, but 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.
Table of Contents
Winning the Lottery is Not Easy
The lottery is truly a random game—unpredictable. It’s possible that you may not win in your lifetime. That’s why playing the lottery is gambling.
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, 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 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 the probability of losing twice is 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.
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.
You must face the odds when you gamble in a lottery game.
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 the game works randomly over time.
Don’t take the lottery too seriously.
Play just for fun. The lottery is fun and interesting, which I will prove later.
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.3
No lottery hack can ever predict the exact winning number combination.
A computer or an AI can be useful for tedious calculations but cannot predict the next winning numbers.
And surely, 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 discuss how to refine your number selection strategy and enhance your understanding of the lottery game.
Use Math to Support Your Gut Feeling
Mathematically, you can increase your chances of winning 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 is not the right explanation. For one, you cannot apply the same reason for 1-10-11-20-21-22. We have to stop explaining things in English.
You must explain your choices through strong mathematical reasoning.
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, most people do not trust their math even though they believe 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 calculated reasoning is not an acceptable explanation.4
When you have a strong mathematical foundation, you will never doubt your choices.
How to win the lottery using math
No one would have prior knowledge of precisely what will occur in the next draw. Not even by a paranormal creature (if that even exists).
When magical help is unavailable, mathematics remains the only useful tool you can rely on to achieve lottery success.
Fortunately, doing your best shot is possible with a lottery formula using combinatorial math and probability theory.
What about statistics?
I’m sorry, but statistics are not the right mathematical tools to analyze lottery games. 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 analyze 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, 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.
How to Choose a 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.
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.
So, in your local lottery community, always choose a lotto system with a small pick size and fewer balls.
The table below will give you an idea of the odds of different lottery games.
Based on the table above, the 5/20 system offers better odds for you.
But watch out for the extra ball. The extra ball may affect your chances of winning.
Depending on what games you are playing, extra balls can come in different names. 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, the lottery is harder to win when the extra ball is drawn from a different drum.
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.5
Where:
n = The size of the number field
r = the pick-size
Using the above formula, we determine 13,983,816 possible combinations in a lotto 6/49 system.
From that given value, determining the odds is as simple as separating the number of ways you win and 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.
The table above shows that Trinidad/Tobago Cash Pot 5/20 has the lowest odds, and Italian Superenalotto has the toughest to beat.
Of course, a lottery with a huge jackpot is usually harder to win. 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.
Don’t underestimate the power of a small lottery system. Some lottery games in the United States have no extra ball. 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 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.
But you have to look at the lottery in a different light.
How do we study lottery games and get the best shot possible?
Well, realize that odds and probability are two different terms. They are not mathematically equivalent.
Probability is the measurement of the likelihood that an event will occur. Mathematically, we express probability as:
On the other hand, odds are the ratio of success to failure.
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 can choose odds that you think are more favorable.
The strategy is in the act of choosing better odds.
In short, making an intelligent choice is about choosing the best success-to-failure ratio or advantage.
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.
In short, it takes more than 100 draws before you get one favorable shot. This combination is an expensive strategy. You don’t want to lose 103 times and get only one favorable shot.
Let’s examine a well-balanced 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.
This means that you only need three attempts to get one favorable shot.
As you can see, the composition matters.
Combinations can be organized into combinatorial groups based on their composition. And combinatorial groups exhibit varying success-to-failure ratios.
According to probability theory, if you divide the balls into two sets (odd and even numbers), a truly random lottery spreads the probability fairly between these two sets. This is why combinations composed purely of even numbers or purely odd numbers are rare events because true randomness neither favors 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 combinatorial groups is by calculating their corresponding S/F ratio.
Let’s look at the difference between the two compositions side by side.
Notice how the S/F ratio widely differs between the two.
Based on the comparison table above, you don’t want to pick purely 6-even numbers as you don’t want to have one favorable shot only to lose 103 times.
You want to have as many favorable shots as possible and be closer to the winning combination for most draws.
The S/F ratio is an important metric for making decisions.
The ratio of 1:103 doesn’t mean that a 0-odd-6-even composition should appear exactly once in 103 draws. We will talk more about this gambler’s fallacy later down below.
For now, realize that the objective is to understand the behavior of your lottery game over time. The ratio 1:103 indicates a relative frequency of 0.96%, which differs from an absolute frequency. We should expect an infinite series of lottery draws to approach this theoretical probability.
Your goal is to win the lottery, and the first thing you should know when selecting numbers 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 can calculate and make informed choices.
It’s not easy to win the lottery. But if you play the lottery and give yourself enough opportunities, you’ll be closer to winning the jackpot.
Tip #2: Ensure you have a favorable success-to-failure ratio. Making informed choices will give you more favorable shots for most of the draws.
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 are 100% sure that our probability calculation 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 aggregate results of the lottery given a large number of draws always agree with the probability calculations.
I will show you the proof later.
Now, I am not here to give you an illusion of control. When I say that a lottery game is mathematically predictable to an extent, it doesn’t mean we can predict the next winning numbers. You cannot predict the next winning numbers. No one can.6
But with probability theory, you can make an informed choice based on how the lottery behaves over time.7
The idea is simple.
You can use probability theory to determine combinatorial groups 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 possible. If you play long enough, luck is just a matter of time.
This mathematical prediction is not magic. It’s the power of combinatorics8 and probability theory9 put together.
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
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 very helpful, as they guide you in making decisions.
5/69 Lottery Game
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 infinitely.
6/49 Lottery Game
Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator
Only three of 84 combinatorial groups are dominant in a 6/49 lottery game.
5/70 Lottery Game
Generated using Lotterycodex Calculator
Only two of 56 groups are dominant in a 5/70 lottery game.
Tip #3: The lottery game’s inherent randomness makes all these probability predictions possible. Therefore, you should be thankful that the lottery is truly random. Follow the dictate of probability.
How to Win the Lottery Using the PFDSEMBMT Strategy
Do you know what FOMO means? It stands for “fear of missing out.”
FOMO is a big deal because you worry that your combination may occur if you don’t play.
The likelihood that your favorite combination 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.”
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 PFDSEMBMT strategy. The acronym stands for Play Fewer Draws, Save Entertainment Money, Buy More Tickets.
More tickets will give you more chances of winning. And that is especially true when you employ a lottery wheel (aka covering in combinatorics). Read this article: 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:
In probability theory, we measure the probability between 0 and 1.
When you buy two tickets, the probability becomes 2/13,983,816 or 1 in 7 million.
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 chances 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 that can help you trap the winning numbers.
We will discuss this covering strategy when we get to the lottery wheel section.
For now, please look at the probability of winning the jackpot based on the number of distinct tickets you play on a Lotto 6/49 system.
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 (and lose). Remember, the lottery is a random game. And you should only play the lottery for fun.
The table below shows the calculations for different lottery games.
Tip #4: Skip some drawings to save money for your lottery entertainment, then use the savings to buy more tickets.
Balancing Odd and Even Numbers
In a pick-6 lottery system, you can combine numbers with odd and even numbers in seven ways.
| Composition | Sample combination |
|---|---|
| 6 odd and 0 even | 3 – 7 – 19 – 21 – 33 – 41 |
| 5 odd and 1 even | 5 – 9 – 13 – 23 – 31 – 42 |
| 4 odd and 2 even | 1 – 4 – 11 – 28 – 39 – 45 |
| 3 odd and 3 even | 6 – 9 – 18 – 23 – 31 – 42 |
| 2 odd and 4 even | 9 – 10 – 22 – 24 – 33 – 40 |
| 1 odd and 5 even | 3 – 6 – 22 – 28 – 36 – 46 |
| 0 odd and 6 even | 2 – 4 – 12 – 20 – 30 – 42 |
The 3-odd-3-even group is the dominant group. Your job is to pick numbers closer to this dominant group to get more 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 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 of the Australian Tattslotto game draws in 949 draws.
The data were collected from January 7, 2006, to March 16, 2024.
How to Win Tattslotto According to Math
For a 6/45 system, the probability of 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).
In short, 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 and r = 6.
Those two variables are enough to calculate the future outcome of the game. Therefore, we don’t need any statistical analysis or random game sampling.
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)(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.
Below are charts proving that probability prediction agrees with the actual results.
How to Win Eurojackpot According to Math
How to Win Euromillions According to Math
How to Win the Irish Lotto According to Math
How to win the US Powerball
Did you notice how close probability predictions are to the actual lottery results?
Tip #5: Over time, winning combinations with a balanced mix of odd and even numbers tend to dominate the lottery draws as more draws occur infinitely. As a lotto player, you must follow this trend.
Balancing 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.
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.
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.
According to probability theory, neither the lower range (low set) nor the higher range (high set) has 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.
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.
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. This composition will surely dominate the lottery draws over time based on the law of large numbers.
Advanced Combinatorial and Probability Analysis
I have explained the odd-even and low-high compositions. However, 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.
Thankfully, we can avoid this problem.
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.
The idea of using the Lotterycodex templates is straightforward. There’s no point spending your money on combinatorial templates 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. So, 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.
Purchasing more tickets can be done in two ways:
- You pick random combinations, which creates numbers out of thin air. Another example is using a quick pick machine.
- You pick combinations generated by a lottery wheel, playing combinations strategically using the mathematical principle 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.
There are many 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. Both Tattslotto and Australian Powerball allow players to use 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. The system has provided you with two 4-matches and nine 3-matches.
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.
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.
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 is complex, but to understand it, 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. Each drawing in the lottery always provides random results independent of the past draws.
Indeed, yesterday’s winning combination may occur in the next draw. It can happen because it’s not impossible.
In a truly random game, we do not know what 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. People only see what happens in an individual draw, but we must understand how the lottery works to see the larger picture.
The lottery is governed by mathematical laws, one of which is the law of large numbers, or LLN.
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 the number of draws increases, the lottery follows a deterministic behavior.
When we study the lottery under the law of large numbers, the issue of each draw being independent becomes irrelevant. When you see the game’s behavior over many draws, you know how to be smart most 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, but it provides pieces of mathematical information that can guide you.
Let’s use Lotterycodex template #1 in a 5/35 lottery system as an example. This template has a success-to-failure ratio of 1:13 and appears approximately seven times in 100 draws.
Generated by Lotterycodex Calculator
The ratio of 1:13 doesn’t mean the template should appear exactly seven times in 100 draws. Realize that the template will approach this average as the number of draws increases. Again, your objective should be to understand the behavior of your lottery game from many draws and not based on short-term outcomes.
So, while skipping, please don’t fall for the gambler’s fallacy10.
A gambler’s fallacy occurs when someone believes a certain event will happen after a series of events. We cannot predict what will happen because past events cannot influence the outcome of the next draw. So, we cannot say that a template will not occur twice in a row.
For example, if the same template occurs in yesterday’s draw, it may occur thrice in a row. However, this may be unlikely because such an event has a probability of (0.072)3 = 0.0373%, which is unlikely but not impossible.
We do not know what the lottery draw will do in the next draw. However, according to probability theory, template #1 will occur approximately seven times in 100 draws.
You have a piece of mathematical information to tell you how a template will behave over time.
Don’t be afraid to skip some draws. Use this opportunity to set aside money to play more lines when your entertainment budget is ready.
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
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.11
A combination of this type can come in different flavors, such as the following:
| Two sets of consecutive numbers | 1-2-3, 40-41-42 |
| Three sets of consecutive numbers | 1-2, 30-31, 50-51 |
| Three sets of consecutive numbers in one group | 11-12, 15-16, 18-19 |
| Two sets of consecutive numbers in one group | 30-31-32, 37-38-39 |
| Four consecutive numbers | 1, 66-67-68-69 |
These seemingly improbable combinations are not impossible, as history shows strange winning combinations occasionally occur in real lottery draws.
Mathematically, all these unusual winning combinations “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.12
But just because unusual combinations must occur doesn’t mean you must pick your numbers the same way.
As an intelligent 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.
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 to be winning combinations. We are not saying it is impossible to happen. We are saying that you need a truly large number of draws to see these combinations occurring.
Or a combination where the interval is increasing at the same rate.
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:
| Combination | Why improbable |
| 7-23-24-26-28-29 | Groups 10-19, 30-39, 40-49 are not represented |
| 5-7-11-14-16-19 | Groups 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 are not represented |
| 10-12-15-16-18-19 | Numbers belong to only one group |
| 40-41-42-43-44-45 | All numbers belong to only one group and all consecutive |
| 1-2-3-30-31-32 | Two sets of consecutive numbers from two groups |
We don’t say those out-of-balance combinations have no chance of occurring in a lottery draw. We say such combinations are highly improbable but not impossible.
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 distinct concepts that approach a problem differently. Depending on the facts, our problem could be statistical or probabilistic.
For example, we have a box full of marbles. When we don’t know the box’s composition, we need statistics to infer its 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.
That’s why the Lotterycodex calculator is built upon the science of probability and combinatorics. 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.
So, what are these silly strategies that don’t work? Below are some examples:
- hot and cold numbers
- law of attraction
- numbers from your dream
- prime numbers
- lucky numbers
- fortune spell
- horoscope numbers
- quick picks
The quick pick machine is not quite a silly lotto strategy. It doesn’t provide better control. It simply generates random numbers for lazy players. Why rely on the quick pick machine when you can make informed choices through calculations?
Calculate the possibilities and make informed choices when playing 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 that can provide useful information to help you make informed decisions.
How Not to Lose Each Draw
There are two groups in the lottery. One group always wins, and another always fails.
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.
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. It’s time you change the odds in your favor.
This inverse strategy is only revealed 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.
Of course, you can do both. Play the lottery if you want fun, but remember to invest for retirement.
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 are some guidelines you may follow:
- 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.
- Make an informed choice and be mathematically right most of the time. While all combinations are equally likely, combinations are not created equally. You want to look at the composition of your combinations and ensure that you have more favorable success-to-failure ratios.
- Save entertainment money so you can play more lines. Skip several draws to save money and buy 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 trap the winning numbers strategically. You can use a Lotterycodex calculator to get some help.
- Use Lotterycodex templates. Why spend money on a composition that will only occur once in 100,000 draws? Choose a combination based on a template with the best success-to-failure ratio.
- Use a lottery wheel to trap the winning numbers strategically. Not all lottery wheels are created equal. Use a Lotterycodex calculator to separate combinations based on their varying success-to-failure ratios.
- Make a game plan and implement it consistently. 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.
- Know how not 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 the winning strategy using math. But there’s more to winning the game than meets the eye. I invite you to study the lottery formula we suggest, where I detail the role of combinatorial mathematics and probability theory in the lottery context.
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 with friends as one group.
What is the best way to pick lotto numbers?
Consider a more favorable success-to-failure ratio when picking numbers. Calculating this ratio is possible through the study of combinatorial compositions and probability theory. If you need help, use a Lotterycodex calculator.
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.
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.
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.
Additional Resources
- Feeling Lucky? How Lotto Odds Compare to Shark Attacks and Lightning Strikes [↩]
- Why We Keep Playing the Lottery [↩]
- The Man Who Cracked the Lottery [↩]
- Do The Math, Then Burn The Math and Go With Your Gut [↩]
- Binomial coefficient [↩]
- Why do we think we have more control over the world than we do? [↩]
- Laws of Large Number [↩]
- Combinatorics [↩]
- Probability Theory [↩]
- Why do we think a random event is more or less likely to occur if it happened several times in the past? [↩]
- The national lottery numbers: what have we learned after 20 years? [↩]
- The Law of Truly Large Numbers [↩]
Combinatorial Mathematics Cracking the Lottery Code Entertainment vs. Investment Expected Value Informed Betting Decisions Lottery Odds Lottery Predictions Lotterycodex Templates Probability Theory Responsible Gambling Strategic Lottery Play
