# I Want To Win The Lottery!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672 "2003-07-24T18:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/1 "2003-07-24T18:07:49Z")
I need some lottery tips. Do statistics prove that people that pick their own numbers win more then people that use “quick pick” (you know where the computer generates the number) What is your method of madness for picking lottery numbers? Florida lottery is up to 75 million and i want to win! ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/2 "2003-07-24T18:14:51Z")
Figure out how many unique number combinations there are for your particular lottery. Buy one of each. Your win is guaranteed. But you are unlikely to make any money using this method. Otherwise, if the lottery is honest, there is no difference between “quick pick” and self-selected. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/3 "2003-07-24T18:16:28Z")
From [sceducationlottery.com](http://sceducationlottery.com) > [@](#): > > Q: Do you know if winning numbers are usually “quick picks” or specifically chosen? > A: Of the first 59 winners in the Powerball game, there were 41 winners (about 70%) who won using Quick Picks (or Computer Picks or Easy Picks). The remaining 18 winners chose their own numbers. Does this mean that you are more likely to win with a computer pick ticket? Not really. Seventy percent of Powerball tickets are purchased with computer pick numbers. It may just be that the number of computer-pick winners is comparable to the number of computer-pick purchases. It’s all random. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/4 "2003-07-24T18:32:55Z")
You are 20 times more likely to drown in your own bathtub than win the top lottery prize. You are 33 times more likely to be struck by lightning. I’ll just save my money, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/5 "2003-07-24T18:39:32Z")
I want to win the lottery too, but I never do. ☹ My coworker has suggested that buying tickets would increase my chances, but I’m not so sure. I mean, really, for any given ticket, _that_ combination of numbers is staggeringly unlikely to be a winner, so why buy _that_ ticket? Since this is true for each and every ticket, I don’t buy any. I can’t wait until I win. I have all sorts of plans for what to do with the money. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/6 "2003-07-24T18:43:17Z")
Lottery quotes: [ul] [li]Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.[/li][li]If all those psychics know the winning lottery numbers, why are they all still working? [/li][li]Please Lord, Let me prove to you that winning the lottery won’t spoil me![/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/7 "2003-07-24T18:46:46Z")
Man you people are downers. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/8 "2003-07-24T18:53:15Z")
Last week when the lottery was 50+ million I playeda whole dollar. I ended up getting 2 numbers. Maybe this time I will be lucky! I only play a dollar or two. I don’t think spending more money increases my odds. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/9 "2003-07-24T18:58:25Z")
Buying more tickets does increase your odds of winning, but overall, for every dollar you spend, you can expect to _lose_ about $0.65, on average. ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/10 "2003-07-24T19:47:15Z")
I clipped this from [The Skeptics Dictionary](http://www.skepdic.com/contents.html) Under “The Gamblers Fallacy” If you buy 100 tickets a week, you can expect to win the jackpot on average every 3,463 years. If you buy $25,000 worth of tickets a week, you can expect on average to win about every 14 years. If you expect to live 50 more years, you should buy $6,927 worth of tickets a week if you want to have a good chance of winning the jackpot in this lifetime. Of course, if you do, you may not even break even. You could well be about $2,000,000 in the hole, depending on when you win. Alternately, you could go to [Acculotto](http://acculotto.com) where they guarantee you will win at least $10,000l. If you don’t? Why, they give you some more numbers! ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/11 "2003-07-24T21:33:58Z")
How do your lotteries work? Here in uk the system used to be (it’s since got more complicated) that you picked 6 numbers, and they draw 6 (plus a ‘bonus’ number, we’ll ignore that). The jackpot is shared amongst everyone who got all 6 right, or added to next weeks jackpot if no-one won. In this system there are two approaches: 1. Wait 'till no-one’s won a couple of weeks on the trot, and the prize fund is greater than the odds against winning. However, it depends how likely you are to share the prize. 2. If you do play, choose numbers other people are unlikely to. Eg. if a lot of people pick dates, prefer numbers over 30, that sort of thing. Of course, it’s hard to get these statistics. Your best bet might be to choose randomly. Oh, and another thought: 1. If you’re going bankrupt, you might as well bet everything you have left or can borrow (though this is unethical). The main question is: lotteries generally give a bad rate of return. Why not gamble on something else instead? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/12 "2003-07-24T21:34:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Man you people are downers. 😛 \*\* Living in the real world is like that. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/13 "2003-07-24T21:39:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > **lotteries generally give a bad rate of return.** More to the point, the are _supposed_ to have a poor rate of return. Governments aren’t running them because they are losing money. And if _they_ aren’t losing money, then someone must be. That would be you (“you” being people buying the tickets). I read a disturbing article that stated that many people believe that playing the lottery will result in security after retirement. Good lord. ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/14 "2003-07-24T21:51:46Z")
Yeah, yeah … the lottery is a tax on the stupid and your chances are better of being drowned in a bathtub. OK, fine, now that we have that out of the way … Look, if you insist on playing the lottery, at least don’t blow more than you can afford. Buy ONE ticket only. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/15 "2003-07-24T22:21:40Z")
One day, Schmendrick goes to the Shul and prays, “Lord, I’ve been good and observant – I’ve performed many mitzvahs. Even though I myself have nothing, I have helped the poor and the sick. Would it be so awful if I were to win the lottery?” A week passes and Schmendrick returns: “Lord, I’ve never asked for anything for myself before. But I am old and my children are hungry and ill-clothed. Please let me win the lottery.” Another week passes and once more Schmendrick returns: “Lord, why are you so cruel to me? Am I not a good man? Why will you not let me win the lottery?” Suddenly an angel appears. “Schmendrick, meet us halfway! At least buy a ticket!” ``` OK, so a lottery is a sucker's bet. But when the jackpot gets big, I'm willing to spend a dollar or two for the pleasure of the reverie about what I'll do when I win the big one. ``` ---
**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/16 "2003-07-25T00:06:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorsnak \* > My coworker has suggested that buying tickets would increase my chances, but I’m not so sure. Your coworkers are correct. It has been statistically proven that buying a ticket significantly increases your chances of winning. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/17 "2003-07-25T00:33:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jmizzou \* > \*\*Your coworkers are correct. It has been statistically proven that buying a ticket significantly increases your chances of winning. \*\* This is true. In fact, the chances of winning are infinitely greater if you buy a ticket (tickets found at random in the street notwithstanding). ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/18 "2003-07-25T01:02:15Z")
Buy one ticket. Stick it on your fridge with a magnet. Kill a chicken. Bow to the east five times. THAT’S the strategy that works. See, most people don’t know how to transform their ticket into winner. ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Star_to_the_Right)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/19 "2003-07-25T02:14:18Z")
What I don’t get is why people go absolutely batshit when the Lotto reaches an astronomical jackpot as it has here in Florida. Lines are going out the doors, people are dropping hundreds of dollars on tickets, etc. Thus their chances of winning are even tinier than they were to begin with. But when the jackpot is, say, 5 or 10 million, no one cares. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stranger\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@The\_Stranger\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stranger_1)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672/20 "2003-07-25T05:11:33Z")
When I buy a lotto ticket, I think of it as entertainment. For a buck I get to dream about what I would do with the money if I won. Sure I could dream about it without spending the buck, but the ticket represents the real possibility of winning. Even though the possibility is astronomically remote, it’s worth it to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-win-the-lottery/190672.md?page=2)