Pencil and Paper Jackpot Calculations

Reply #31

CountingMan — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 16:04:57 GMT

I have used Lotto Pro myself, with no real wins. However, I took some of the features that Lotto Pro has, namely the skip chart, and adapted it to Excel for use with any Lottery drawing. I principally use it for Megamillions and Powerball. I can drop in the winning numbers, and it will display the skip chart with the number of drawings since a particular number hit. I did this because the skip chart in Lotto Pro had shown patterns of trending that I noticed, and I wanted something more expan... [ More ]

Reply #30

tony2222 — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 02:07:02 GMT

My program does exactly the same you described. I play 4 numbers only because the odds are better. I find that if 1 comes then most of the time, the difference between the first and second, second and third and third and fourth number is 2;1;2 so based on the latest 3000 draws of massachusetts keno if 1 comes up then i figure 1 3 4 6 is the most propable combo of four numbers.

Reply #29

guesser — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:37:58 GMT

I have an excel macro that will search Keno numbers if you import them into an Excel table, from there you have to:

tell it how many numbers you want it to look for, and then

tell it WHAT numbers you want it to look for.

I thought I had a great idea - SURELY one set of 6 or 8 numbers would come up every 500-800 games or so, but I haven't found that combination yet.

Reply #28

tony2222 — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 17:38:13 GMT

I do not spend more then 1 hour trying to guess the best numbers. However i have writen a program that takes input from Keno draws (about 3000 lattest draws) and tells how many times each number came up or how many times a certain combination has shown up.

the system has given little result.

I would like my program to tell me which combination of two or three or four numbers or more has shown up more often. Dont know if this is the right forum but if anyone out there knows how to do th... [ More ]

Reply #27

ryanm — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:21:51 GMT

I don't PowerPlay because it's too tough to win anything. With a game that has odds as high as Powerball, I figure you should either play for it all or don't play. Playing the extra $1 is like admitting you'll settle for #2.

Reply #26

CASH Only — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:50:47 GMT

I play PowerPlay up to a certain level. Above it I go for the jackpot.

Reply #25

ayenowitall — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 02:56:59 GMT

...and/or....

Reply #24

guesser — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:54:25 GMT

I figured that, but in reality, how many folks play the powerplay option ?

Time for another poll.....

Reply #23

Just6ntlc — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:47:59 GMT

I don't usually use pencil or pen and paper to do a jackpot calculation. However, within 15 minutes of when PB and/or MM rolled or not, I usually predict my 15 WBs and 5 BBs based on results, cold numbers, and +/- math.

Reply #22

bellyache — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 17:00:00 GMT

I don't use software, but if someone finds it helpful in picking and organizing numbers I say go for it.

Reply #21

psykomo — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 04:21:19 GMT

guesser:

Saw your post today.................(good????????) as many, donot know

PSYKOMO has been on the EDGE of a JACKPOT all $UMMER with the

PICK-5..............Kamunettttttteeee!

Hitt'in 3 or more#

#######'$$$$

WON......that small

CHANGE many........ time$$$$$$$$$$

LOL

PSYKOMO

Reply #20

ayenowitall — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 02:42:08 GMT

By exercising the Power Play option and/or having multiple 0+1, 1+1, 2+1, or 3+0 hits on say a $5 ticket, $16, $18, or $20 payouts would be quite possible.

aye

Reply #19

guesser — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 02:07:01 GMT

What numbers do you have to hit to get a $16-$18-$20 payout

Reply #18

RJOh — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:57:49 GMT

If you want work that pays then you get a job that pays wages. Very few people can get paid for doing something that's entertaining, picking lottery numbers is entertaining for me like solving a crossword puzzle or playing checkers, winning a jackpot or second prize would be icing on the cake. Quick picks are the way to go if you just want to be in the game for a chance to win.

Reply #17

BevsPicks — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:40:31 GMT

This is the deal.

I don't try to figure it out. Too much work. Usually doesn't pay off. I have purchased quick picks and had maybe 1 or 2 of the numbers on a ticket of 5 picks. So... My new system is this. Buy a quick pick and play everything except what is on the ticket.

This should not take more than 5 minutes. Hopefully you'll win at least $3.00.

Reply #16

RJOh — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:33:36 GMT

hypersoniq,

If a system wins coincidentally once in a while and do better than the calculated odds, isn't that's proof that it's doing something right? If spite of all posts about systems that work, if more players back tested their systems, they might come to the same conclusions as you. My systems haven't won any big prizes but picking lottery numbers randomly just isn't my style, win or lose I enjoy picking the numbers I play. Good luck to you.

RJOh

Reply #15

hypersoniq — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 10:00:33 GMT

Backtesting is the fun part for me. It has allowed me to dismiss every system I have come up with so far as nothing more than coincidental. Of course in games of chance, past results bear no indication whatsoever on future performance... it is fun to try though.

I broke down and bought Statistics for Dummies . I can see just from skimming it that I was completely mis-using excel in my favorite home-brew stat system for PB. Once I finish reading the book, I may just revive that system from th... [ More ]

Reply #14

CASH Only — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:14:29 GMT

NY Lotto is a ripoff. Don't tell me you BOUGHT lottery software to play NY Lotto

Reply #13

psykomo — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 04:45:10 GMT

Voted 15 or less!

Never ........................found software to be GOOD

Used .........................spreadsheets to TRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLAYED a lot of QUICK-PICK$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

collected.....................lot of $16-$$18-$$$20.......ticketssssss!!

LOL

PSYKOMO

Reply #12

konane — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:25:02 GMT

For me software is a search assistant, and has never been a number picker. Good or bad I choose my own numbers.

Reply #11

RJOh — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:20:49 GMT

If software makes playing the lottery more entertaining, how is it a ripoff? Most commercial lottery software have a disclaimer that states for entertainment only . Anyone who invest in such software with that disclaimer expecting to win a million dollars jackpot is asking to be ripped-off. I designed my software myself and enjoyed creating it and using it, both have been a learning experience.

Reply #10

ryanm — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:32:46 GMT

Lottery software is a ripoff, because the game is all luck. Systems are just a way of adding to the entertainment.

Reply #9

bellyache — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:19:02 GMT

I usually spend about 15 ot 30 mins working on my numbers for games I play like Powerball and Wild Card 2.

Reply #8

guesser — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:06:41 GMT

FWIW, I only back-test the Red balls to 3/8/2006, and the White balls to 8/31/2005, as that is when the current ballsets were put into play.

It obviously hasn't helped a GREAT deal as I have not won yet, so 'almost' kinda like you, I don't go back any further than those dates.

Other than that, I think your philosophy mirrors mine identically. As I have said a million times, I think SKILL will bag you 3 or even 4 of the numbers, but it seems every game there are those 1 or 2 numb... [ More ]

Reply #7

RJOh — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:47:39 GMT

The real value in playing the lotteries is its entertainment and picking numbers and trying to win is for me as much fun as playing. I'm retired also, so I also enjoy spending extra time picking my numbers. I use a computer with a program of my own design so I have to log in the winning numbers myself after each drawing too.

I've added features to my program that makes it easier for me to analyze column of numbers by color coding numbers of interest and I never use printouts, the number a... [ More ]

Reply #6

konane — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:29:50 GMT

I also use pen and paper for games played, have done so since Georgia Lottery began.

However do rely on Todd's Premium programmed in search functions on LP, in fact wear them out most of the time. They're well done and definitely worth membership!!

Also use Lotto Pro 2006 as an assistant to analyze skips and gaps which can yield huge amounts of information.

Reply #5

bobby623 — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 15:09:03 GMT

I use paper and pencil methods to track MM, Texas Lotto, Texas Two-Step and Texas Cash 5. The many charts I use for my 'organized guesswork' methods have to be updated after each drawing to be useful. I rely mainly on 'gaps' and 'skips' for predictions. This demands the charts be current and accurate.

I would much rather spend the time to be sort of intimately involved with the numbers by logging them myself. It's surprising what one can see when logging data from drawing to drawing. Trying... [ More ]

Reply #4

RJOh — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:45:53 GMT

Years ago I started out using paper and pencil and then I decided it was easier to keep my data in a text file on my computer and print out a fresh copy when I wanted to mark on it. Later I decided it was easier in the long run to write a couple of instructions in GWBasic and have my computer do the work and save those instructions so I could repeat the same operation in the future. Today all those instructions have become a program and I can search or compare any of my data files in a number

Reply #3

ayenowitall — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 08:06:28 GMT

I'm not sure just how much value there is in backtesting. While I wouldn't totally dismiss it, I don't think that lottery draws are predictable to the degree that backtesting will prove or disprove the value of any system. While I see the number draw methods of most jackpot games as being random, I think there are certain streaks, trends, and averages that manifest along the way. With a certain measure of luck and some insight into these phenomena, I think that most any system will yield some po... [ More ]

Reply #2

Just6ntlc — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 05:09:11 GMT

ayenowitall, my vote was within 15 minutes or less. Once MM, PB, and/or CA SLP gives us draw results, I make my predictions for the next draw.

Reply #1

OpenMinded — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 03:10:36 GMT

I too am a pencil and paper user, but in a different sort of way. I mainly just look at my spreadsheets, and should I see something workable, I get a pencil and jot on my sheet. I don't play the lottery as much as I try to figure out it's system. I guess I don't feel comfortable yet with some of my systems. They work might work for a couple of numbers during backtesting, but then I lose my way. Hmmm. I'll keep trying though. I too find joy in just trying to figure the whole thing out.... [ More ]

Pencil and Paper Jackpot Calculations

ayenowitall — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 01:21:05 GMT

Since I'm not anywhere near getting ahead of the lottery right now, I have to think that I'm at least getting my money's worth in entertainment and excitement when I play the jackpot games. I really do derive a great deal of enjoyment from coming up with theories about how the numbers fall. Then I shape those theories into a workable system of play. I'm presently able to come up with my numbers using about an hour of time. When I change my system, it usually takes me as much as three or four hou... [ More ]