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The Frustrating Random Game Won Using Math

Math can be used to win the lottery

Lottery tickets. Image provided by New Scientist

The lottery has always been a frustrating game for many, while others can live their dream life after winning a once-in-a-lifetime lottery. However, math can actually be used to beat the game.


Manchester

According to Manchester.uk, two scientists, Dr David Stewart and Dr David Cushing, at the University of Manchester, calculated the lowest possible number of tickets needed to guarantee a win as 27 for the National Lottery’s flagship game ‘Lotto’. However, they do specify that there is no guarantee of a profit or “win.”

To do this, they took three Fano planes and two triangles and generated 27 sets of tickets, which, in the UK, would set someone back £54. Peter Rowlett, a mathematician from The Aperiodical website, calculated that in 99% of cases, you won’t make that amount of money back, leading to a deficit.


Odd and Even Patterns

According to Lotto Metrix, there are patterns for each lottery game which is most likely to come out. First, we have to talk about how probability works.

Imagine a table with 50 marbles. 45 of them are white and 5 of them are black. Every time, you are blindfolded and asked to pick any marble. Now, since there are 45 white marbles out of 50 marbles, you have a 90% chance of picking a white marble. Then, you have a 10% chance of choosing a black marble. You can also picture it as nine white marbles drawn every ten draws and one black marble drawn every ten draws.

Now, let’s think about one way to have a higher chance of winning. There are seven patterns when choosing six numbers between odd or even. The lottery ticket with the highest probability is three odd numbers and three even numbers, and the one with the lowest probability is zero odd numbers and six even numbers. The number of expected frequency of wins is similar to the actual observed frequency. In the Irish and Australian Lottery, the probabilities of the odd and even patterns work.

However, odd and even patterns are not the only patterns in the lottery - for example, Lotto Metrix has a list of patterns for some of the world’s largest lottery games. There are 210 different combination templates, pattern 1 being the most probable of occurring while pattern 210 being the least probable. In the US Powerball, Irish Lottery, Euro Jackpot, Euro Millians, Australian Saturday Lotto, UK Lottery, and US Megamillions, the first 1-6 patterns are the best patterns for each of the lotteries.


How Do You Win the Lottery?

There is no 100% way of winning the lottery every single time. However, using Lotto Metrix’s patterns can be a good chance of winning. Other mathematics can be used to figure out the best template for a lottery ticket. You can also buy 27 different tickets. There is no 1 way of winning the lottery as it is tough for most people.

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