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How to Win the Lottery?

Winning the lottery can instantly transform your life. The jackpot reward always takes a lot of luck to win. However, there might be ways to increase your overall winning odds by playing a lottery. Here are the critical tips shared by experienced players, so make sure to check them out to find the right strategy for you!

Pick the Right Lottery Game for You

The critical thing is that you need to understand the lottery that you plan to play. You want to get to know the rules of drawing the balls out of the drum, as well as the frequency of drawings, and other details.

For example, Poland Lotto is a classic single-drum lottery. It utilizes one drum with 49 white balls, and six are drawn in each session. The players who win the jackpot need to guess all six balls right. The formula is as simple as it gets, and you even get an additional chance with Super Szansa.

Unlike that, South Africa Lotto is a single-drum lottery with an additional gameplay twist. It draws an extra ball from a 52-ball drum per session. During each draw, the provider first pulls six main balls to determine the jackpot. After that, they proceed to draw the additional ball, which plays a role in deciding the winner of four prize tiers.

France Loto is one of many examples of two-drum lotteries. It features the main drum with 49 white balls, of which five are drawn during each session. Apart from that, the drawing includes a second drum with ten chance numbers, and a single ball is drawn from that drum. That puts the entire concept at 5/49 +1/10, and you need to guess all six numbers for winning the jackpot.

Choosing the lottery to play comes down to your preference. Whether you need simplicity or complexity, make sure to understand the rules before playing. To improve your chances, we have prepared guides for success in the top lotteries.

Lottery In Short Lottery Guide (For more information)
US Powerball The odds of winning the Powerball is 1 in 192,201,338. While it is one of the most popular and highest paying lotteries in the world, your chances of winning are very low. How to win US Powerball
US Mega Million Even with unfavorable odds, the US Mega Millions remains a player’s favorite all around the world. The odds of winning the Mega Millions is 1 in 302,575,350. How to win US Mega Millions
EuroMillions Euromillion offers prizes in 13 different prize tiers for players who match all or some of the winning numbers.The odds of winning the EuroMillions is 1 in 139,838,160. How to win EuroMillions
EuroJackpot There is a 1 in 35 chance of winning any prize in the EuroJackpot lottery. You will also face more unfavorable odds if you are looking to qualify for prizes in other tiers. How to win EuroJackpot
UK National Lottery The UK National lottery is a single pot lottery with odds of 1 in 45,057,474. You may find it difficult to have a match, without having a game plan. How to Win UK National Lottery
Poland Lotto Poland Lotto is a 6/49 lottery, requiring players to correctly predict six numbers between 1 to 49. The odds of winning the Poland Lotto is 1 in 13,983,816. How to win Poland Lotto
France Lotto The chances of winning the France Loto is 1 in 19,068,840. Even though this game has better odds than most international lotteries, you will still need a solid strategy and luck to win the jackpot. How to win France Loto
Italy SuperEnaLotto The Italy SuperEnalotto is incredibly challenging to win with steep odds of 1 in 622,614,630. You need to match at least two numbers out of six to qualify for a prize. How to win Italy SuperEnaLotto
Brazil Quina The Brazil Quina comes in a 5/80 format. You need to accurately predict five numbers between 1 to 80 to win the grand prize. The odds of winning the Brazil Quina is 1 in 24,040,016 How to win Brazil Quina

Once we are ready to play, you might want to check out our reviews of other great online lottery sites. That way, you can get some insight, which will make your evaluation of these platforms much easier before joining.

Lottery Site Established In Number of Lotteries 
theLotter 2002 35+
Lotto Agent 2012 18+
Jackpot.com 2016 30+
WinTrillions 2006 15+
LottoGo 2011 18+
LottoKings 2008 15+
LottoLand 2013 35+
Lottofy 2020 15+

Get to Know the Odds of Winning Different Prizes

Apart from the rules, it is essential to get to know the prizes of various lottery games. Now, you have three approaches when it comes to the reward odds.

The first option is to pursue the highest prizes out there. The starting point is the initial guaranteed jackpot. Here is a table of games with the highest guaranteed prize pool, and the odds of winning the grand reward:

Lottery Guaranteed prize pool Odds of winning the jackpot
US Powerball $40 million 1: 292,201,438
Mega Millions $40 million 1: 302,575,350
EuroJackpot €10 million 1: 95,344,200
EuroMillions €15 million 1: 139,838,160
Australia Powerball AUD 3,000,000 1: 134,490,400

The second approach you can take is to take a look only at jackpot odds. If you are interested in winning the grand prize, that is the way to improve your chances. However, keep in mind that the jackpots are usually lower in these games.

Lottery Estimated jackpot Odds of winning the jackpot
Texas Cash Five $25K 1: 324,632
New York Take 5 Lotto $60K 1: 575,757
Poland Mini Lotto Zl 400K 1:850,668
Ukraine Loto Maxima Not Specified 1: 1,221,759
Texas Two-Step $225K 1: 1,832,800

Finally, you can check the general odds of winning a prize. That is the approach that lottery fans often take to keep things interesting. You might not win a huge sum, but you will have good odds of winning something in each session.

Lottery Overall odds of winning
Canada Lotto 649 1: 6.6
Ontario 49 Canada 1: 6.6
Ukraine Super Loto 1: 7
Texas Cash Five 1: 8
New York – Cash4Life 1: 8

But to ensure you have the best chances of taking home some significant wins, you might want to dive deeper into the various popular online lotteries.

Luckily for you, this could easily be done on our site as we go in-depth with all the odds concerning the best lotteries. Among them, you will find:

Less Competition Means Higher Chances to Win

Think about it like this – you can play a huge multi-jurisdictional lottery famous worldwide, such as US Powerball. The odds are millions of other players will be participating in every session. That means the competition to win will be severe, especially when it comes to large prizes.

The next category features national lotteries, but they can be both large and small-scale games. For example, Germany Lotto can be considered a big lottery, while Portugal Totoloto is not that popular outside of its country. You can even choose state-based lotteries in the United States, such as Texas Cash Five.

In these smaller lotteries, you won’t compete against as many players. The fewer tickets purchased in the drum, the larger your odds of winning should be. That is important for a long-term lottery strategy. Winning a jackpot always comes down to luck, but if you want to win and profit from playing these games, choose the best lottery that suits that style.

Statistical Tips to Improve Your Odds of Winning the Lottery

There are two types of players out there – those who believe that statistics works in their advantage, and those who play against it. It is up to you to pick your style. Here are some tips we can give you that utilize statistics when picking numbers:

  • A hot number – it is a number that was drawn frequently in the past couple of months.
  • A cold number – these haven’t been drawn frequently in the history of a particular game.
  • Overdue numbers – these numbers haven’t been drawn for a long time in a specific lottery.
  • Number mixing – the probability indicates that choosing numbers from all sections increases your odds of winning.
  • Even and odd, low and high – when it comes to picking the sections, also consider mixing high and low, and odd and even numbers.

Going with Your Gut

You might not have a lot of time to think and design a strategy when playing the lottery. Perhaps you are busy with work, or there are only a couple of minutes left until the deadline for buying tickets. That is when you should consider using the feature of randomly selecting the numbers, which is famous as the Quick Pick option in the lottery industry.

The Quick Pick allows the software to choose the numbers for you. The algorithms are advanced, so it virtually never happens for the software to pick all digits from the same section or randomized numbers. And if you don’t like the current combination of numbers, you can always click on the Quick Pick button to select a fresh set of digits.

Popular lottery providers, such as theLotter, have this feature included on their website. It is the quickest way of selecting numbers. All you need to do is to pick the desired lottery number combinations, or the system that you want to play. The machine will take care of the rest. Once you double-check everything is alright, submit to finalize the transaction and purchase tickets.

Experiment with Different Strategies

For some players, it is a pleasure to analyze things and pick their numbers carefully. It might ultimately come down to luck, but it gives them a pleasure to strategize. And it couldn’t hurt improving the odds at least for a bit.

Here are some strategic approaches you can use when playing the lottery.

  • A wheeling system – it is a system that utilizes mathematics to increase your winning odds across different tiers. You can pick between full, abbreviated, or key digit wheeling systems, depending on your preference and budget.
  • Pick 3 system – an excellent strategy for beginners. It involves using three numbers per combination. For example, you can pick a system of nine numbers, and use every possible mixture of three of those digits on your tickets.
  • Pick 4 and Pick 5 – these are more advanced and complicated alternatives to the system mentioned above.

You can check out this article to learn more about lottery strategies and optimize your game.

Should You Play Additional Games Per Session?

The game of lottery evolves over time, and providers try to make it more interesting for players. That is why they include additional games per session or add extra twists to the gameplay.

You are probably familiar that you can pick from single-drum and two-drum lotteries, depending on your preference. Apart from that, many providers decide to implement multipliers in their game. For example, US Lotto America features an All-Star Bonus. That is nothing else than a booster that increases all prizes except the jackpot. The multiplier might be random and different from one session to another.

Special features that unlock additional prizes might also be available. The SuperStar feature of the Italy SuperEnalotto unlocks new prize tiers and increases the potential prizes players can win. The cost of these additional gameplay features is usually lower than the basic ticket price for a particular game.

Some lotteries allow you more chances to win than the basic game. For example, South Africa Lotto features two more draws during each session. These are named Lotto Plus 1 and 2, and you play them with the same numbers as the primary drawing. However, the ticket price is smaller, as well as the rewards.

Many games also have special drawings that occur several times per year. That is the case with Australia Superdraw Saturday Lotto, and the most famous example is Spain El Gordo de la Primitiva. That game is known as the lottery with the biggest prize fund per session.

Additional games per session can give you an extra shot at winning the prize, as well as enhancing the lottery experience. It would not increase your odds, but it might give you another opportunity to leave with a prize. For more established chances of winning, we recommend you employ lottery strategies like the wheeling system, lottery software, and the quick pick.

Try Syndicate Play

Have you heard about the syndicate play option? It is an exciting method of joining forces with other players to increase your odds of winning a prize. The idea is simple – you add funds to a joint pool with other players. The entire sum is used to buy lottery tickets online for a particular lottery session. It depends on the syndicate members how the prizes will be divided if they are won. Many players practice the rule of dividing the rewards only, but you can also choose to share them based on the initial investment.

You have two ways of playing in a syndicate. The first one is calling friends that are also lottery fans. You can pool the money together and purchase tickets. It might be an excellent way to bond with friends or family while having the chance to win something in the process.

Alternatively, you can join an online syndicate. The best online lottery websites allow the possibility of syndicate play, and many of them even offer combos of multiple games. The only thing left is to pick the option that suits your style and start playing.

Don’t Forget to Play Regularly

Do you know what the basic condition to win the lottery is? The primary requirement is to buy the tickets! And we are not talking about purchasing a single ticket and expecting to win the jackpot reward. Many players wait for years before they win massive prizes. However, that doesn’t stop them from playing.

That is because the lottery is entertaining and fun. Whether you are watching the draw live or checking the results online, the adrenaline rush is always there. You can have a lot of fun coming up with the right strategy and choosing the numbers, too.

And if you play regularly, the odds are you will start winning at some point. It might be small sums at first, but a big reward might come your way sooner rather than later. Once you win, don’t forget to check out the lottery payout and tax calculator. It will help you to determine the actual sum you will be taking home after the taxes!

Use the Magic of Maths to Win The Lottery

Diversify Your Combinations

Here is a different take on observing your lottery odds. Let’s talk about the 6/45 lotteries, such as Austria Lotto, because they are a standard format. This lottery format has 8.415,050 combinations overall.

Imagine that you play all odd numbers in your combination – 1-9-13-25-37-45.

That selection type (all odd) is available in 74,613 combinations. If we do the math, every 100th combination contains all odd numbers, so we will see it every 100 sessions.

Now, let’s say you combine odd and even choices – 3-12-15-26-38-44.

This is one of 2,727,340 potential combinations that contain a balanced odd and even number mixture. The probability theory indicates we will see this combination type every three draws.
Here are the formulas used above:

P (all odd numbers) = 74,613 / 8,145,060 = 0.0091
P (equal ratio of odd and even numbers) = 2,727,340 / 8,145,060 = 0,3348

Our question is, what is better – playing a combination that has the probability of getting drawn every 100 sessions or those with a probability of appearing in every third draw?

The Difference Between Odds and Probability

The odds present the chances of a particular outcome happening.

If we are talking about the lottery, playing a single combination in a game with jackpot winning odds of 1:1,000,000 means only one of a million combinations can secure you the grand prize.

Ultimately, the odds are nothing but the relationship between the desired outcome and the undesirable outcomes.

As for probability, it discusses how likely a particular event is to happen. Now, a single combination might have the odds of 1:1,000,000.

However, let’s imagine you played all odd numbers, which take around 10,000 potential combinations.

But if you play an equal balance of odd and even numbers, those take 100,000 potential combinations. 

Here is an interesting formula that includes both odds and probability, and shows how they are connected:

Probability formula

Source: Towards Data Science

That means those have a higher probability!

Stick to the Highest Probability

To increase your chances of winning in the draw, it is best to choose a combination with a higher probability. This means that combinations with higher probabilities are more likely to come out in the draw.

Here is how probability works in the mentioned 6/45 format:

Odd numbers in the combination Even numbers in the combination Probability
0 6 0.0091
1 5 0.0743
2 4 0.2272
3 3 0.3348
4 2 0.2511
5 1 0.0908
6 0 0.1239

Here is what the above table says:

  • In 100 draws, 33 will have a perfect balance of odd and even numbers.
  • A total of 47 draws will contain four odd and two even numbers or vice-versa.
  • Only about 22 will have at least five from any group.

The similar rates apply to low and high numbers, and even numbers from different decades.

If you stick to the highest probability, that means you have the best chances of your combination type appearing during the draw.

It is why experts suggest that you should combine all the potential number groups, so it’s best to mix low and high and odd and even numbers.

The Law of Large Numbers

The law of large indicates that the bigger the sample, the higher the chances of achieving the expected results. Although this law was established in the 17th century, it wasn’t proven until a century later.

Jacob Bernoulli offered proof for this theorem, which is now used in various industries. That includes everything from economics and finances to entertainment and gaming businesses.

What Does the Law of Large Numbers Have to Do with the Lottery?

Do you remember the probability table for the 6/45 lotto mentioned above?

It says that the estimated frequency for three odd and three even number combinations is 33 out of 100 draws. 

That means it should appear in 66/200, 333/1000, or 3,333/10,000 drawing sessions.

In reality, it might appear in 26 of the first 100 draws. However, the number will increase to 40/200, 322/1,000, and 3,330/10,000 sessions. 

The point is that the more draws are made, the higher the chances of the probability of achieving the expected rate.

Here is the estimated frequency for a 6/45 lotto draw:

Odd numbers in the combination Even numbers in the combination Probability Expected frequency
0 6 0.0091 1 per 100 draws
1 5 0.0743 7 per 100 draws
2 4 0.2272 22 per 100 draws
3 3 0.3348 33 per 100 draws
4 2 0.2511 25 per 100 draws
5 1 0.0908 9 per 100 draws
6 0 0.1239 1 per 100 draws

Increase Your Chances of Winning the Lottery (In 5 Simple Steps)

1. Use the Median Value Strategy When Choosing Numbers

Let’s take a simple lottery, like New York Take 5 to explain the median value. It utilizes a 5/39 concept, with the highest number being 39. The first step in calculating the median value is to determine the middle of the highest number that can be drawn. In this case, that would be 39/2=19.5.

Now, you will be choosing five numbers. You use the following formula – the sum of those five numbers divided by five shouldn’t be as close to 19.5 as possible.

The secret behind this approach lies in the balance. The law of probability indicates that the drawn numbers should be evenly spread among odd and even, and high and low numbers.

Here is an example of a bad combination:

19, 23, 25, 34, 37

Its median value is 27.6, which is way off your targeted number.

Now, let’s take a look at a better combination:

3, 10, 19, 28, 36

These numbers have a median value of 19.2, which is close to our targeted digit. Additionally, you covered numbers from each decade, as well as high and low, and odd and even numbers.

2. Go with High Numbers Rather Than Low Ones

Most lottery fans are casual players that don’t employ a lot of thought into choosing the numbers. That is why they often pick significant dates, such as anniversaries, birthdays of grandsons and family members, etc.

The problem with that approach is that there is no number over 31. It is why many believe that you should always include some numbers that are over the famous “date limit of 31.”

We are not saying that the right combination contains all numbers above 31 (remember the previous step and discussion about median value). However, if you need to choose five numbers, include three high digits, and ensure that at least one of them is over 31.

If you want to diversify your chances more, you can pick more than two high numbers, depending on the lottery you are playing. Let’s use the grand Powerball lottery for our example. Below, you can find some of the high numbers drawn more frequently in the last year.

Number Times Drawn 
39 Six Times
53 Six Times
61 Six Times
38 Four Times
44 Four Times
65 Four Times
67 Four Times

Generally, the most frequently drawn numbers for the Powerball lottery in 2021 had appeared between three and four times, which clearly shows how there is quite a bit of value in adding a few high numbers to your ticket.

3. Does Time When You Purchase the Tickets Matter?

Do you have better odds of winning if you buy tickets early in the morning or late at night? Will you have more chances if you purchase tickets the first day after the previous draw, or wait for an hour before the buying deadline?

The truth is that any claim is this department is merely a theory. However, here is something that you can use. If you plan on buying ten tickets, try to spread the purchases a bit. For example, purchase one ticket tomorrow morning, and then another one the day after that in the afternoon. The idea is that you might have better odds if you cover all times of the day.

If you buy your tickets online, you won’t be limited by the working hours of the retailers. Instead, you can purchase tickets at any time of day and night.

4. Buy More Tickets

This tip has a lot to do with basic math. Let’s take US MegaMillions as an example. The odds of winning the jackpot are quite slim as they are set at 1:302,575,350. However, those chances apply to a single ticket purchased for the drawing.

If you apply basic calculations, purchasing ten tickets will improve the odds to 1:30,257,535. The chances are still not favorable, but they are ten times better than if you buy a single ticket!

That is why you should consider purchasing more tickets. You will improve your odds of winning other prizes, too, which increases the chances of at least getting your investment back.

You should aim to buy more tickets even if that means you need to miss a round or two. It is better to play a single round with better odds than multiple rounds with slim chances!

So why not purchase ten or more tickets? This will indeed help you in a few ways:

  • Increase your winning chances at least 10 times
  • Improve the odds of winning other prizes
  • Set you up for a thrilling gaming experience

You should aim to buy more tickets even if that means you need to miss a round or two. It is better to play a single round with better odds than multiple rounds with slim chances!

But this also comes at a price of some sort. You might be wrong if you thought buying more lottery tickets is always the way to go. Here are some disadvantages of that tactic you need to be aware of:

  • Spending more money
  • It can be stressful sometimes
  • Winning chances doesn’t change that drastically after the 10th ticket

5. Don’t Change Numbers Every Week

We understand that deciding the numbers to put on your tickets is a big part of the gaming experience for many lottery players. Unfortunately, the law of probability says that you shouldn’t adjust the numbers every week.

Here is the idea – if the odds of winning a jackpot are 1:100,000, that theoretically means that your combination will be drawn every 100,000 sessions. It also indicates that the odds of your numbers appearing increase with every week when that combination isn’t drawn.

While this is also nothing but a theory, you can analyze the numbers pulled out from the drum over several weeks. If you notice that you hit a particular number twice, replace it, but keep the rest of the combination. But if a single ball hasn’t been drawn for weeks, it might be worth keeping it on the ticket because the odds of it appearing in the next session are quite decent.

Quick Tips to Improve Your Lottery Winning Odds

Would you like to discover more tips on how to improve your chances of winning the lottery?

Here are some expert insights to consider the next time when designing a ticket:

  • Don’t stick only to dates – most lotteries contain a matrix with more than 31 numbers. Facts tell us that people usually choose dates, which is useful if you consider them lucky numbers. However, don’t forget to diversify the combination to improve the odds of success.
  • Stick to a combination – it doesn’t mean it will happen to you, but many lottery winners reported they’d played the same combination for years before winning the jackpot. The tip sticks to the law of large numbers, and you might consider trying it in your favorite lotto game.
  • Think about lottery syndicates – joining a lotto syndicate is a way to improve the odds of winning in a particular game. Make sure to weigh the pros and cons, and always stick to reputable syndicates.
  • Purchase more tickets – here is a simple tip – if you want to improve the winning odds, purchase more tickets. That will increase your chances theoretically, but make sure not to over-invest because playing the lottery should be fun first.
  • Don’t go for consecutive patterns – we already mentioned that, but it’s all about diversifying the combination. Although two successive numbers might have a chance to appear, three or more consecutive numbers occur exceptionally rarely.

Important Note No matter how you decide to play, make sure you play with one of our recommended lottery sites:

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Insider Secrets to Winning the Lottery With Richard Lustig

Is there anything better than listening to tips from a person who won the lottery seven times in only two years? That happened to Richard Lustig, who won seven prizes that vary from $4,966 to $842,152 in only two years of playing the lottery!

It sounds impressive, and Lustig didn’t want to keep his art of playing to himself. That is why he shared nine critical tips for lottery players, which include:

  • Buying additional lottery tickets for a particular game increases your odds of winning in that session.
  • Start a syndicate where you could pool money with other players to increase your winning odds.
  • Never go for consecutive numbers. Try to cover random sections and ensure the total sum of the number is from 104 and 176. According to the statistics, seven out of ten jackpots are in this range.
  • Never go with numbers that are in the same group and end with a similar digit. The statistics are the reason for this, too.
  • Find lotteries played at odd times and those that are not that popular. The odds of winning will increase, which might secure your profit.
  • Less competition is also secured in games that are not that popular. That’s why special draws, and huge lotteries shouldn’t be your primary focus.
  • Be careful with birthdates. The dates only go up to 31, but if games offer more than 50 balls in a drum, that could affect your chances significantly.
  • Each number has an equal shot of being drawn. No software or strategy could guarantee you a win.
  • Choose games smartly. Winning a grand prize in a state lottery might be better than winning a low-tier award in a large lotto.

Conclusion – Is There a Trick to Win the Lottery?

Here is another reminder – there is no guaranteed way to win the lottery! 

You cannot trick the system and identify the winning combination.

However, you can use mathematics and statistics to get an extra edge and improve your winning chances.

If you are a regular player, that might help you establish a profit, even if it’s small, when playing lottery games. Remember that winning lotto jackpots requires the Lady Luck to smile at you because lottery draws are random events!

Continue reading the specific guides we created for the most popular lotteries in the world, with great tips from real experts:

FAQ

Is it better to play lotteries with lower or higher odds to win the jackpot?
New York Take 5 Lotto has the odds of 1:575,757, while US Powerball has jackpot odds of 1:292,201,338. While Take 5 offers better chances, its average grand prize is $60K, while you can win $40 million in Powerball. It is all about choosing which game type suits you better.

Can the time when you purchase the tickets affect your winning odds?
There is no proof for this because winning tickets are bought at different times. However, if you plan on purchasing ten tickets, it might be smart to buy two per day or at least a couple of them per hour. That could ensure a better ratio of success over failure.

Is it Better to buy more tickets for a single draw or a single ticket or multiple draws?
It ultimately comes down to luck, but the math says it’s better to purchase multiple tickets for a single drawing session. You have better odds of winning if you are buying ten combinations for a single draw than if you participate in multiple sessions with a single ticket.

What is the best strategy to win the lottery?

The straight answer is there is no best strategy to win the lottery. Lottery results are totally random so no lottery strategy can absolutely figure out which numbers will come out in the draw. What they can do is guide you towards lottery combinations that have a high probability of appearing.

What is the Richard Lustig Method?

The Richard Lustig method is a series of steps, developed by Richard Lustig, for success in the lottery. It involves playing consistently, managing your budget, choosing your own numbers, and joining a lottery syndicate.

Who Won the Lottery 14 times?

Stefan Mandel won the lottery 14 times. He did this by investing in lotteries where the jackpot was more than three times the cost of buying the total number of combinations. This way, he was able to guarantee a hundred percent chance of winning.

Which lottery has the best odds of winning?

Lotteries with smaller pot sizes and fewer possible combinations have the best odds of winning. As the number of possible combinations decreases, the chances of winning improve.

How to win the guaranteed lottery?

There is no guaranteed way to win the lottery; purchasing every possible combination would be the only way to win the lottery guaranteed. Unfortunately, this is not economically feasible for most people as it would cost millions of dollars. Instead, try using lottery strategies such as wheeling systems, lottery software, or quick picks to increase your chances of winning.

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