The premise is that any six numbers are just as likely to be drawn as any other six numbers, therefore what you should concentrate on is thinking about which numbers other people are less likely to pick, to give yourself the chance of being a 'sole winner' if your numbers come up.
Firstly...........only pick numbers over 31 as other people use birthdays
Second........high numbers are best as people use house numbers..........every street pretty much has a number 1, 2, 3.............but not every street has a 40, 41 etc because some streets are short...
Thirdly........pick consecutive numbers because some people think wrongly that there is less chance of six consecutive numbers coming out than six non-consecutive numbers
With all the above, the best numbers to pick are 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
But a few people might have the same theory as you and pick those numbers.........so go for 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48.
In practise I can't be bothered writing out a ticket, so I get a lucky dip...............
In what way is it not random? Can you predict what the set of numbers will be the next time you buy a lucky dip?
Randomness doesn't mean because a number has been used recently it shouldn't be used again. If I have the numbers 1 to 49 in a bag and I pick out six at random, I'm as likely to get 1,2,3,4,5,6 as any other sequence. As a sequence, it is just as 'random' as 9,23,1,34,35,12. If I repeat the experiment, there is exactly the same chance that I'll get 1,2,3,4,5,6 again as any other sequence.
If I do pick 1,2,3,4,5,6, then decide to pick another number, the likelyhood of me picking 7 is exactly the same as picking any other number.
Dont' mistake 'randomness' for even distribution. The sort of duplication that you got on your tickets is perfectly normal in a random sequence of numbers. In fact, if such clustering never occured then that would be a strong indicator that the sequence was not truely random.
Very good post. Sensible, but also puts one in mind of how virtually impossible it is to win the lottery.
Very good post. Sensible, but also puts one in mind of how virtually impossible it is to win the lottery.
I don't think it's impossible to win the lottery, it's just extremely unlikely. The way I see it is, somebody has to win it. But the odds of winning thousands of pounds are very remote.
As for lucky dips, I won £58 a few months ago on a lucky dip ticket and I got 4 numbers. But I tend to pick my own numbers normally. I try to even my numbers out these days, say for example 1,12,33,42,46,49. I don't pick numbers from birthdays, house numbers, etc, I just pick out numbers at random.
but the lottery numbers that are drawn are still random so you have as much chance with each of your lines so i dont understand why repeated numbers on different lines are a problem?
if the numbers 3, 12, 15, 22, 33, and 45 gets drawn, you win the jackpot and then some!
I have noticed that if I buy a ticket with my usual numbers and also a lucky dip at the same time, the lucky dip numbers are very close to my own numbers.
It's the same chance as any other specific set of three numbers being drawn.
Specific is the key word here. 1,2,3,4,5,6 is just as likely as any other specific set of six numbers, but you're still a few million times more likely to get a set of six numbers that are not consecutive than are.
Specific is the key word here. 1,2,3,4,5,6 is just as likely as any other specific set of six numbers, but you're still a few million times more likely to get a set of six numbers that are not consecutive than are.
A thread from the past
I've underlined the important part. Consecutive sequences like this form only small fraction of 13.8 million possible combinations in the UK Lotto. Therefore they dont have just as much chance as non consecutive sequences.
I've underlined the important part. Consecutive sequences like this form only small fraction of 13.8 million possible combinations in the UK Lotto. Therefore they dont have just as much chance as non consecutive sequences.
But you still have exactly the same chance of winning with any particular set of 6 numbers, whether consecutive or not.
The apparent impossibility of winning with a consecutive set simply allows us to glimpse how impossible it is to win with any specific set of chosen numbers.
But you still have exactly the same chance of winning with any particular set of 6 numbers, whether consecutive or not.
The apparent impossibility of winning with a consecutive set simply allows us to glimpse how impossible it is to win with any specific set of chosen numbers.
44 lines of straight consecutive numbers. Its not impossible that one of these sets of numbers may occur. But one of the other 13.8 million combinations is more likely to occur.
Past lottery draws show that straight consecutives are least likely to occur - I dont think there's ever been a winning draw with numbers like these.
44 lines of straight consecutive numbers. Its not impossible that one of these sets of numbers may occur. But one of the other 13.8 million combinations is more likely to occur.
Past lottery draws show that straight consecutives are least likely to occur - I dont think there's ever been a winning draw with numbers like these.
That's because there are only 44 of those and there are still around 14 million of the other groups.
If you choose to avoid all of the above consecutive sets do you think your chances of winning are any higher?
Just saw this thread, so got out my ticket for tonights draw, my 'routine' line, and one 'lucky dip'
numbers 09 and 34 are on both lines!!
Not only that, but the lucky dip line has 08,09, and then 34,35
It's then picked 24, one number away from the 23 i use in my 'routine' line, and the standard 'high 40's number it usually bungs you'
i don't think that's at all random, maybe it is. If 9 and 34 are drawn tonight, it's a good start to both lines!! If they're not then my chances are cut.
And yes, i realise all permutations are as likley as one another to come up.
That's because there are only 44 of those and there are still around 14 million of the other groups.
If you choose to avoid all of the above consecutive sets do you think your chances of winning are any higher?
Depends on how look at it. I believe your chances of winning are increased if you look at previous draws. And none of the above combinations have appeared yet because there are so few of these sets of numbers.
If you had spent £44 on the lines listed above you would have won £10 yesterday, but lost £34 in the process. The question is how long are you prepared to spend £44 every draw hoping one of the above sets of numbers will land you the big one?
And you have to consider 1 2 3 4 5 6 is a popular combination so you would share a jackpot with thousands of other people.
whenever i have tried the lucky dips,from a shop or online.a lot of the numbers are the same,usually number 3 pops up a lot,aswell as a lot of numbers from 1 - 9.
I have ranted about this before, but I'm going to again because I'm starting to despair of lucky dips .. I always have 2 lines and 8 out of 10 times I get at least one number repeated on both lines...
but today I was not firing on all cylinders and I ended up buying two two line lucky dips from two different shops..
On the four lines on the the two tickets
No 3 appears 3 times
No 12 appears 2 times
No 15 appears 2 times
No 22 appears 2 times
No 25 appears 2 times
No 33 appears 2 times
No 45 appears 3 times
That means of 24 numbers, 16 are duplicated... On lucky dip! . This always happens... it doesn't feel at all random.. have you noticed this?
What do you reckon my chances are of getting Camelot to check the randomness of their random number generator??
p.
It's irrelevant anyway, surely? Your chances of winning with any set of numbers, however similar, are exactly the same.
Comments
With the odds of getting 3, 4, 5 and 6 numbers, thats never going to happen. Or else if it was the case, people would buy 100,000 lines and do it.
Computers can never generate a truely random number, I assume the camelot ones use a seed like the system clock to try to ensure some randomness.
The premise is that any six numbers are just as likely to be drawn as any other six numbers, therefore what you should concentrate on is thinking about which numbers other people are less likely to pick, to give yourself the chance of being a 'sole winner' if your numbers come up.
Firstly...........only pick numbers over 31 as other people use birthdays
Second........high numbers are best as people use house numbers..........every street pretty much has a number 1, 2, 3.............but not every street has a 40, 41 etc because some streets are short...
Thirdly........pick consecutive numbers because some people think wrongly that there is less chance of six consecutive numbers coming out than six non-consecutive numbers
With all the above, the best numbers to pick are 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
But a few people might have the same theory as you and pick those numbers.........so go for 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48.
In practise I can't be bothered writing out a ticket, so I get a lucky dip...............
I don't think it's impossible to win the lottery, it's just extremely unlikely. The way I see it is, somebody has to win it. But the odds of winning thousands of pounds are very remote.
As for lucky dips, I won £58 a few months ago on a lucky dip ticket and I got 4 numbers. But I tend to pick my own numbers normally. I try to even my numbers out these days, say for example 1,12,33,42,46,49. I don't pick numbers from birthdays, house numbers, etc, I just pick out numbers at random.
11 12 13
11 12 13
if the numbers 3, 12, 15, 22, 33, and 45 gets drawn, you win the jackpot and then some!
or just pick your own random numbers
Specific is the key word here. 1,2,3,4,5,6 is just as likely as any other specific set of six numbers, but you're still a few million times more likely to get a set of six numbers that are not consecutive than are.
Every lucky dip partly bases itself on the numbers that have been chosen through the lottery machine before.
A thread from the past
I've underlined the important part. Consecutive sequences like this form only small fraction of 13.8 million possible combinations in the UK Lotto. Therefore they dont have just as much chance as non consecutive sequences.
do you know if they pick common numbers or uncommon numbers?
But you still have exactly the same chance of winning with any particular set of 6 numbers, whether consecutive or not.
The apparent impossibility of winning with a consecutive set simply allows us to glimpse how impossible it is to win with any specific set of chosen numbers.
1 2 3 4 5 6
2 3 4 5 6 7
3 4 5 6 7 8
4 5 6 7 8 9
5 6 7 8 9 10
6 7 8 9 10 11
7 8 9 10 11 12
8 9 10 11 12 13
9 10 11 12 13 14
10 11 12 13 14 15
11 12 13 14 15 16
12 13 14 15 16 17
13 14 15 16 17 18
14 15 16 17 18 19
15 16 17 18 19 20
16 17 18 19 20 21
17 18 19 20 21 22
18 19 20 21 22 23
19 20 21 22 23 24
20 21 22 23 24 25
21 22 23 24 25 26
22 23 24 25 26 27
23 24 25 26 27 28
24 25 26 27 28 29
25 26 27 28 29 30
26 27 28 29 30 31
27 28 29 30 31 32
28 29 30 31 32 33
29 30 31 32 33 34
30 31 32 33 34 35
31 32 33 34 35 36
32 33 34 35 36 37
33 34 35 36 37 38
34 35 36 37 38 39
35 36 37 38 39 40
36 37 38 39 40 41
37 38 39 40 41 42
38 39 40 41 42 43
39 40 41 42 43 44
40 41 42 43 44 45
41 42 43 44 45 46
42 43 44 45 46 47
43 44 45 46 47 48
44 45 46 47 48 49
44 lines of straight consecutive numbers. Its not impossible that one of these sets of numbers may occur. But one of the other 13.8 million combinations is more likely to occur.
Past lottery draws show that straight consecutives are least likely to occur - I dont think there's ever been a winning draw with numbers like these.
That's because there are only 44 of those and there are still around 14 million of the other groups.
If you choose to avoid all of the above consecutive sets do you think your chances of winning are any higher?
numbers 09 and 34 are on both lines!!
Not only that, but the lucky dip line has 08,09, and then 34,35
It's then picked 24, one number away from the 23 i use in my 'routine' line, and the standard 'high 40's number it usually bungs you'
i don't think that's at all random, maybe it is. If 9 and 34 are drawn tonight, it's a good start to both lines!! If they're not then my chances are cut.
And yes, i realise all permutations are as likley as one another to come up.
I won 5.80 last night from a LD, not 45 mill but a free go next week atleast
Depends on how look at it. I believe your chances of winning are increased if you look at previous draws. And none of the above combinations have appeared yet because there are so few of these sets of numbers.
If you had spent £44 on the lines listed above you would have won £10 yesterday, but lost £34 in the process. The question is how long are you prepared to spend £44 every draw hoping one of the above sets of numbers will land you the big one?
And you have to consider 1 2 3 4 5 6 is a popular combination so you would share a jackpot with thousands of other people.
It's mind boggling. Lucky them. *jealous*
It's irrelevant anyway, surely? Your chances of winning with any set of numbers, however similar, are exactly the same.
Just seen Mark's post that I replied to just now was posted in 2006!
Now, where's the quickest way to Specsavers........?