lottery

[Homer55]

do you have as much chance of winning the lottery using lucky dip, or picking your own numbers or does it not really matter??

[jno]

the numbers are chosen at random so it doesn't really matter how you choose yours.

[Octavius]

You have a one in fourteen million chance of getting all 6 numbers correct. How you choose them is irrelevant.

To increase the odds you need to calculate how much you would spend on the lottery in your lifetime. Put the whole lot on in one week and, win or lose, never, but never play the lottery again.

Let's say you plump up say �50 a year. You are going to play the lottery from age 20 to age 70, 50 years. That's �50x50 = �2,500 spent on the lottery in a lifetime. If you spend the whole lot in one go, the odds of winning go from 14 million-to-1 up to 5,600-to-1. These are much better odds, although, and it can't be emphasised enough, you will still probably lose.

[Loosehead]

You cannot change the odds however you pick the numbers but what you can do is improve your chances of not having to share the jackpot if you do win. For example by not choosing any birthdays.

[theonlyone]

My friends son won �2.3 million on a lucky dip ,so who knows what is the best option ? Money can't buy health or happiness but would be nice to have a try !!

[Loosehead]

It is true that money cannot buy happiness, however it can improve the quality of your misery!

[jno]

oh, I don't know, theonlyone, just winning a bottle of champagne in the office raffle made me happier for days

[fine,thanks]

money gives you choices.

[Doc Spock]

You are wrong clever clogs octavius.The odds are 49over6 times 48 over 5 times 47 over 4 etc.

Just shy of 14million.
If you buy 1 million tickets the odds are still 14 million to one. You just have one million chances at 14 million to one.

Agree..

[Loosehead]

so that would be 14 to 1 then Spock!

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, hello hygenic homer :)
Well i have won many times on the thunderball by numbers what i have chose (only small amounts though).
Last year (november 4th) i won �5,000 on the dream number which was a lucky dip.
From my own personal experience i think you can win little amounts by choosing your own numbers(i tend to do hot picks with numbers in the 40's and win 2 and 3 numbers sometimes) on the main lottery.
But on the thunderball, where there are less numbers, i think you can soss out a system and win little amounts again.
To win big, i put it all down to luck, but then again i am still working on a system at this time which i need a few grand to try out...

[Loosehead]

or rather 13-1 or 1 in 14

[Doc Spock]

No loosehead 14 MILLION to one on each pound spent.

[MrBen5]

if you look back at previous draws, certain numbers seem to appear in groups (40's e.g.)
If you have enough money you can make yourself a weekly wage by placing about �40 worth on 3 number hotpicks.

[Kidd72]

lucky dip numbers, are a combination of six numbers that have not been selected by another player at the time of printout so you have more chance of been the only jackpot winner.

[Doc Spock]

Octavius, you still wondering where you went wrong. You are quick enough to call me. Sorry, unfair that, I am mathematically adept.

[Loosehead]

No No NO Spock

you would agree that if I buy 2 tickets I double my chance of winning? so whats 2 x 1/14000000 ? would that be 1/7000000? mmm

supposing I bought 7 million tickets that would give me an even money chance. I think you know where this is going.

[Doc Spock]

Loosehead. Each �1 ticket has a 14 million to one chance.

If you buy 7 million tickets you have 7 million seperate bets each at 14 million to one.

Are you keeping up Octavius.

[Doc Spock]

Aw diddums , had to see it go then.

[Pippa68]

And this is the difference between an argument, a debate, and answering a question in a nice unassuming manner.

[Doc Spock]

Hi pippa it is about holding up your hand when you get it wrong.