Nothing quite captures people’s attention like the lottery. 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 odds, the best way to pick your numbers, jackpot sizes, and more. You’ve heard many of these myths, but is there any truth to them?
Let’s separate fact from fiction.
Lottery Myth #1: Picking the same numbers every time increases your odds of winning
Some lottery lovers use the same set of numbers every time they play their favorite lottery game. But, is it a lottery myth that playing the same numbers each time can increase your odds of winning?
Lottery odds for a given draw game are based on the number of balls drawn and the range of numbers possible to draw. Lottery numbers are randomly drawn via a lottery draw machine. Every number has an equal chance of being drawn.
Mega Millions, for example, draws from two sets of numbers. Five numbers are drawn from one set of white balls with numbers 1 to 70. Then, one Mega Ball number is drawn from a second set of gold balls, numbered 1 to 25. The odds of winning Mega Millions are calculated by combining the odds for both sets of numbers for all prize levels.
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. Consistently using the same numbers doesn't increase your odds of winning—but it can be a fun way to play.
Lottery Myth #2: More people. Fewer chances to win.
Some players believe that the more people that play the game, the worse the odds are for hitting the jackpot. This lottery myth simply isn’t true. The odds don’t change and are not impacted by the number of people who play in the drawing. They are based on the possible number combinations that can be drawn.
Lottery Myth #3: Smaller jackpots are easier to win
In lottery draw games, the odds of winning are not based on the size of the prize. The odds of winning Powerball, for instance, are the same no matter if the jackpot is $20 million or $2 billion.
But odds of winning do differ depending on the lottery game you play. That's because each game has its own rules and pool of numbers to choose from. The odds of hitting the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302 million while the Colorado state lottery game Lotto+ has odds of 1 in 3.8 million to win the top prize. See your local lottery website for more information on the odds of winning the lottery game of your choice.
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