It is true that over a long period of time, for a true random system, the number of times each ball is drawn will even out. But the problem with this is that this period of time may be hundreds of years with hundreds of thousands of drawings. Most lottery games have only been running a fraction of this time and fluctuations in the number of times balls are drawn is quite normal. 

Is Prediction Possible?

Look at these numbers for the Illinois Little Lotto:

 02/03/1997 Mon 01 03 12 16 17
11/12/1998 Thu 01 03 12 16 17

01/23/1998 Fri 02 12 13 16 23
03/29/1999 Mon 02 12 13 16 23

02/28/1996 Wed 03 11 13 14 30
03/22/1996 Fri 03 11 13 14 30

03/23/1994 Wed 04 17 18 19 26
10/08/1998 Thu 04 17 18 19 26

02/10/1992 Mon 04 17 18 20 24
09/30/1999 Thu 04 17 18 20 24

02/19/1996 Mon 12 14 22 23 29
03/18/1998 Wed 12 14 22 23 29

09/18/1995 Mon 07 08 09 28 29
05/20/1998 Wed 07 08 09 28 29

11/30/1994 Wed 03 07 11 15 26
09/17/1998 Thu 03 07 11 15 26

08/04/1997 Mon 04 05 10 12 22
01/07/2000 Fri 04 05 10 12 22

08/05/1996 Mon 05 06 08 17 23
06/07/2000 Wed 05 06 08 17 23

06/06/1988 Mon 06 10 13 28 30
07/26/1999 Mon 06 10 13 28 30

12/21/1999 Tue 06 12 19 20 29
04/10/2000 Mon 06 12 19 20 29

04/15/1991 Mon 07 10 14 18 25
05/07/1997 Wed 07 10 14 18 25

03/04/1994 Fri 07 08 10 21 27
02/12/2001 Mon 07 08 10 21 27

01/03/1992 Fri 02 04 15 19 27
02/17/1992 Mon 02 04 15 19 27

07/05/2000 Wed 02 13 22 25 29
03/28/2001 Wed 02 13 22 25 29

01/26/1999 Tue 11 12 19 23 28
06/08/2001 Fri 11 12 19 23 28

02/04/1999 Thu 01 16 17 22 30
10/22/2001 Mon 01 16 17 22 30

07/24/2000 Mon 09 17 20 22 26
11/12/2001 Mon 09 17 20 22 26

09/27/2000 Wed 02 05 18 19 23
02/07/2002 Thu 02 05 18 19 23

12/19/1990 Wed 03 10 11 21 22
02/14/2003 Fri 03 10 11 21 22

05/17/1991 Wed 06 13 19 21 26
03/19/2003 Wed 06 13 19 21 26

04/01/1999 Thu 06 08 09 14 25
08/28/2003 Thu 06 08 09 14 25

12/03/1999 Fri 01 03 07 24 29
10/01/2003 Wed 01 03 07 24 29

10/30/2003 Thu 3 10 16 20 25
12/01/2003 Mon 3 10 16 20 25

07/24/1995 Mon 04 06 09 16 25
01/08/2004 Thu 04 06 09 16 25

05/30/2002 Thu 07 08 21 26 28
01/14/2004 Wed 07 08 21 26 28

These repeats are unusual to say the least. So how could they have happened and can we use this in any way to predict?

Even tho you see these combinations repeating, there is no way to know which of the 575,757 will be the next one to repeat.  So, no, I do not see any way this can be used to reduce your odds against losing.

Suggestion:    Read all the history here on LP.  Go back 5 years and read what others (even those who have been long gone) have to say.  There are several excellant suggestions back there.  I found one the other day on the blogs.  The writer is long gone and probably has forgotten all about LP.  I wish I could remember her name for I really want to give her credit.  All I remember is the blog name begins with a "W" and is on the last two pages.  When I have more time I will go back and find her again.  Meanwhile, I will just tell what I know about her entry and allow anyone who cares enough to search for themselves.

I don't know if you can predict anything from all those jackpot repeats but I'm glad to see it happens.

And I'm glad to see a lot of them repeat in a year or two also.

I missed a P/5 jackpot 2 years ago by one draw. I had 48 draws with the same numbers and they fell on the 49th draw.

I've started playing those same numbers again and your post gives me a little more hope. Thanks.

Repeat combinations are common in all lottery games if they have the same matrix long enough.  They usually occur after 0.3% of the possible combinations of a matrix have been drawn.  Although Ohio Rolling Cash5 (5/39) has had only 1720 drawings since its start-up on 10/04/04, it has already had three repeats and will have more as more drawings take place if it keeps the same matrix.  The same thing happened with Buckeye5 (5/37) the game it replaced.  If you study these repeat combinations, you may discover the system favors particular groupings of numbers and that can give you some idea of the combinations that are more likely to occur in future drawings which could be helpful in picking a winning combination more often but hardly often enough to predict winners constantly.

ROLLING CASH5

 09/09/09   01 06 18 24 39
 02/18/05   01 06 18 24 39

 01/04/09   14 17 20 22 30
 06/21/07   14 17 20 22 30

 12/20/08   07 08 16 34 36
 10/12/04   07 08 16 34 36

Good luck, you may be on to something that could help you win a jackpot.

Why would the system favor a particular grouping of numbers if the drawings are all random?

 All of the biggest break throughs down through history........have come from the individuals "force of will" ....as much as anything else.

 The ability to absorb all of the set backs and failures and still maintain focus has been key.  

 P.S.  To date ...I have been unable to secure any sort of Government research grant to further my lottery studies.   LOL 

I don't know and neither do I know why whole combinations of numbers start repeating after only 0.3% of the possible combinations have been drawn in every game that I've checked.   I only stated what I observed and what I thought further observations might show.  Perhaps too many people ideas about random is based on someone theory of randomness rather than what has been observed.