It's frustrating to get numbers so close to the winning ones

Reply #24

darthfury78 — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 10:41:33 GMT

Perhaps you could try your age number in which you and your wife got married.

Reply #23

PrisonerSix — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 02:32:45 GMT

I play Powerball and MegaMillions in my office lottery pool but on my own, I strictly play Lotto and Easy 5, since the odds are better. I only play MegaMillions and Powerball if the jackpots break $100 million. When it comes to being close, I played Powerball with Powerplay for my 10th wedding anniversary 3 years ago and won $100. I was literally 1 number away from $40,000. Ever since, I've played my wedding anniversary numbers every year around that time. Haven't had that kind of luck since, bu... [ More ]

Reply #22

savagegoose — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 17:42:38 GMT

i use 2 ^n as the odds you will be 1 off every drawn.

n= number of balls drawn

so as an example if 6 numbers are drawn you are 64 more times likely to get every number 1 off the actual drawn numbers

or of 5 numbers drawn, 32 times more likely

Reply #21

bigbear29 — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:27:22 GMT

Another way of playing your numbers but I don't think that works.

Reply #20

noahwill — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 06:00:25 GMT

It bugs me too. Especially when I see the winning numbers that have a couple of my lucky numbers in there but i didn't happen to play that draw

Reply #19

darthfury78 — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 05:16:07 GMT

Sometimes it's best to pick your numbers by writing them out before you buy the tickets. Once you've written the numbers, pick one or two numbers from each line to create a new line of numbers.

Reply #18

RJOh — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 02:52:33 GMT

If you play all the numbers in your state game than there's a good chance you're going to match all six winning numbers usually one or two on a line.

Reply #17

Stack47 — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:11:33 GMT

I'm not buying every one line QP they get matches 2 numbers and one off on the other 3, but there is probability of it occasionally happening. Mass Cash draws 5 out of 35 numbers so the one number off means 42% of the numbers and more likely were the two numbers matches are found. There is no prize for matching two numbers, but with the likelihood of one of the other three numbers being one off, gives players a mathematical hope.

Reply #16

Stack47 — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:35:49 GMT

Five numbers have 10 numbers one number off so if you buy a QP and play those five numbers with the ten, there are 15 possible numbers. And that creates almost 10 million combos that match three of those 15 numbers.

Reply #15

shyguitar — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 00:28:54 GMT

Hi weshar75,

It seems like you have the same problem as me. I like your positive attitude and your saying I think to myself it was not meant to be and onto the next ticket .

Reply #14

maximumfun — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 23:47:50 GMT

I love that! So basically I am a winner each game... up until the balls cough.

Reply #13

weshar75 — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 22:44:43 GMT

I hear what you are saying shyguitar. On my state lotto tickets that I get I can have like one or two numbers right and then be one off on three other numbers. Then sometimes I will be like two numbers on the bottom row and three numbers one off and then the sixth number will be on the top row. I just stare at the ticket and say to myself next time is when I will get them all. It happened to me last week twice in two drawings so it does blow big time. But I think to myself it was not meant to be... [ More ]

Reply #12

RJOh — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 21:00:50 GMT

Is there a way to figure that basic math probability? If so the frustrating factors might be avoided.

Reply #11

shyguitar — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:46:50 GMT

Hi Drenick1,

It souds like you are playing smart and not spending too much money, yet it still allows you to have your dream of winning someday. Good luck.

Reply #10

shyguitar — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:42:49 GMT

Hi noise-gate,

I like your analogy it rings true. As you say I will keep my chin up and keep hanging on. This past year with spending less on the lottery I feel much more positive in life (even though my personal and work life haven't changed for the better).

Reply #9

shyguitar — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:36:51 GMT

Hi Stack47,

I can understand it happening if I bought five lines as you say but I only buy one line.

Reply #8

shyguitar — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:34:28 GMT

Hi maringoman,

A few years ago I would occasionally pick my own numbers and buy 5 tickets at a time when the jackpot for PB was very high. What would happen is I would get all 5 numbers but they would be on all different lines instead of being just on one ticket. Since it's so hard to even win a 2nd place prize, I now always buy just the 1 ticket to keep myself in the game and save money. I always toss my losing tickets. Just feel like it's often that I will get numbers that are one off and t... [ More ]

Reply #7

shyguitar — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:21:39 GMT

Hi RedStang,

It seems like you can relate since this has happened to you as well.

Reply #6

Drenick1 — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 21:59:18 GMT

I'm lucky just to hit one or two numbers. Even though my success rate is extremely low, I will keep on playing on different occasions as a couple tickets here and there does provide a backdrop for me to dream.

Reply #5

noise-gate — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 20:29:59 GMT

In actuality Shy- the closest anyone's numbers come to the winning ones are while they are spinning around - once the balls are coughed up, all bets are off... but l hear what you saying.

Keep your chin up hang in there, all the other players are

Reply #4

Stack47 — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 17:59:31 GMT

Any five number combo with the lowest number being 2 or higher, there is a potential ten numbers that could be one off. If you play five lines, there is a possible 50 numbers being one off. What you're seeing is basic math probability and used by many pick-3 system players.

Reply #3

maringoman — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:55:02 GMT

There is a strategy that I saw being floated here in LP that can help you fix that. It's the +1 -1 or is it -1 +1? I'd advice you to just toss the losing tickets and forget about em or you'll find yourself trying to buy more and more lines to cover possibilities.

Reply #2

savagegoose — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:34:24 GMT

depending on how many numbers are drawn you are 2x 4x 8x 16x 32x 64x more likely to get one off the number you drew.

for instance twice every number that was drawn for was 1 off my picked numbers except 1, twice, in my memory of checking numbers

Reply #1

RedStang — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:10:06 GMT

This has happened so many times I'm use to it. Amazing how you can choose 13/15 and 14/16 come out. It's like they know what numbers everyone is playing.

It's frustrating to get numbers so close to the winning ones

shyguitar — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:59:07 GMT

I play Powerball and Lucky for Life and occasionally Mass Cash. These are all draw games. What I find so frustrating is how often I will be one off from a number. For instance on Saturdays Powerball draw I had 4 numbers that were off by one number (and with Powerball I always play with the Powerplay option) and I find that many times when I check my numbers for Lucky For Life and even Mass Cash it often is the same thing. I'm sure many people have had the same thing happen but it's soooo frustra... [ More ]