With as many theories as there are behind how to pick winning lottery numbers, there are just as many lottery myths. These myths revolve around playing the game, lottery retailers, who benefits and more.
Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Lottery Myth #1: Nobody wins the lottery twice
The odds of being struck by lightning many times over are greater than the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot even once. The odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 15,300. The overall odds of winning any prize in Powerball are 1 in 24, but what are the odds of winning the highest level jackpot prize? 1 in 292,301,338. This means you could be struck by lightning over 19,000 times and still not win the jackpot.
The odds of winning the top prize are small, but this is one lottery myth that simply isn’t true. Lottery facts show there have been many lottery winners who have won big prizes multiple times. Joan R. Ginther was a four time lottery winner. Over her four wins, she took home a whopping $10.4 million.
It’s even possible to be a multiple lottery winner in the same drawing! In August 2023, Dennis Fears won the Virginia State Lottery a whopping 24 times in a single draw when he played Pick 4. How? He used the same number for his entire pick: 8. In Pick 4, you choose a four-digit number between 0000 and 9999. He happened to play 8888. The top prize for each ticket was $5,000, netting Mr. Fears a grand prize of $120,000.
This is one lottery myth that has been debunked! Lottery facts show it’s possible to win the lottery multiple times.
Lottery Myth #2: Picking the same numbers every time increases your odds
Some lottery lovers use the same numbers when ordering tickets for any lottery draw game. They believe the lottery myth that playing the same numbers each time increases their odds of winning, increasing ever so slightly each time they use their numbers.
The odds have nothing to do with the number of people who order tickets or what numbers they use. Lottery numbers are randomly drawn and spit out by a machine. Every number has an equal chance of being drawn. Lottery odds are based on the number of balls and numbers drawn, creating the maximum combination of numbers. That’s why Mega Millions has a 1 in 302 million chance of winning the grand prize. There are literally 302,575,350 possible number combinations. Statistically, consistently using the same numbers doesn't increase your odds of winning.
Lottery Myth #3: More people. Fewer chances to win.
Some players believe that the more people that play the game, the worse the odds are of winning a large prize. This lottery myth simply isn’t true. The odds don’t change and are not impacted by the number of people who play. They are based on the possible combinations that can be drawn.
Lottery Myth #4: Smaller grand prizes are easier to win
Actually, this idea comes from both lottery facts and myths. But how can this be both a lottery fact and a myth?
When it comes to multi-state lottery games such as Powerball or Mega Millions, the idea that smaller grand prizes are easier to win is a myth. The odds of winning the grand prize stay the same no matter if the available grand prize is $20 million (the minimum grand prize for both Powerball and Mega Millions) or $2 billion. The odds of winning are not based on the size of the prize.
So, how is it easier to win a lottery with a smaller grand prize? It depends on the game you play. The odds of winning the grand prize of Mega Millions or Powerball are astronomical. However, the odds of winning the grand prize of a local state lottery drawing are significantly lower than those of these multi-state games.
For example, the Colorado state lottery game, Lotto+, has odds of 1 in 3.8 million to win the top prize, significantly less than the multi-state games. Of course, the prize won’t hit near what the multi-state games do, but it can still be a significant prize. This goes for other local state lottery games. too. See your local lottery website for more information on the odds of winning these grand prizes.
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