I wonder if it's simpler than that. I've been in Software design for almost a decade now, and the thing that astounds me most is the lack of technical aptitude on that part of people who design systems in general. I wonder if the Powerball in particular is based on something so simple, you could catch it every time. Namely, the system clock. I say that because the results (at least here in Indiana) seem typical of numbers that would be generated in a standard simple random number sequence based on the system clock, given a real easy set of parameters (1 through whatever). That being said, if you could track down the previous numbers drawen historically, then (assuming it is the system clock) you should be able to descern the time of the drawing from the numbers that came up. All you have to factor in really is the time that elapses between numbers... if it exists. If you find the times are consistant, and you can match the delays, it should be child's play to figure out when what numbers are going to come up. If you could do that... then you should be able to pick a winner ever time... unless the initial time of the drawing varies. I'm just toying with the idea right now, but if I was serious, I imagine it wouldn't be hard to write a program to figure it out.