Probability of winning with multiple tickets

Reply #94

Stat$talker — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:38:10 GMT

Occasionally

So, then itz uther percentagez of timez, It'z LESS than even artificial? ... that'z great to know..

Soundz like It'z just about even wit YO broken calculator ..

Ole Stat$ izz % REAL ,all the time .Nooo artificial ingredientz, Eeevaah.

Reply #93

KY Floyd — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:10:47 GMT

tap the `1/x

I use the 1/x key all the time when doing certain things, such as trig or percentages, and one of the reasons that my standard Windows calculator is the scientific one.

using childish ebonics, the answer might differ .

Garbage in, garbage out has been a concept since computers were new and decent AI (at least by that name) was barely being thought about.

Occasionally ...

Occasionally

Reply #92

Tucker Black — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:50:09 GMT

Occasionally, AI is smarter than you.

Reply #91

Stat$talker — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:13:00 GMT

According Google AI:

That'z whyy It'z called A RTIFICIAL I ntelligence..

Ain't n nuthin like the REAL thang Baby,

Ain't nuthin like the REEAAL thang.

( - Marvin Gaye Tammie Terrell )

-Stat$talker

Reply #90

Stack47 — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:42:07 GMT

According Google AI: The probability of two specific tickets winning the Powerball jackpot (out of 292,201,338 combinations) is 1 in 146,100,669 .

Used regular English grammar so asking using childish ebonics, the answer might differ.

Reply #89

Stack47 — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:31:35 GMT

I'm 99.9999% positive I've used that explanation in previous exchanges with Coin Toss, but as you can see the concept is still too elusive. 99.999

Any real crap's dealer could easily explain, even though there are six ways to roll a 7 and three ways to roll a 4 or 10, why the odds are expressed as 2 to 1 .

You must be feeling brave or lucky to bring up reciprocals when we've got people that can't understand that 2/4 and 1/2 are the same thing.

Yep, over five pages ago it was thoro... [ More ]

Reply #88

KY Floyd — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:51:43 GMT

Each ticket does not cover 150 million combinations.

Each MM or PB ticket kind of does cover 146 million combinations. Because both games have an even number of choices for the power/mega ball exactly half of the possible combinations have an even number power/mega ball and exactly half of the possible combinations have an odd number power/mega ball. That means that your choice of power/mega ball on each ticket guarantees that you can only win the jackpot if one of the 146 million combinati... [ More ]

Reply #87

Coin Toss — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:55:41 GMT

If you were taking a test in a math class and a question was what is 2 divided by 292 there's only one answer wanted.

Reply #86

Stat$talker — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:08:21 GMT

Screen Theory ain't cuttin it ... Enuf of yo JawJackin

Steppit up, wit yo wormhole prooof

Noooo Scratchoffz allowed.

Reply #85

Stat$talker — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:42:36 GMT

I really wished you 2 Jawjackerz would actually show whut you claim iz Probability ...by Posting a few currently won lottery ticket betz ... Showing yo Einstein lottery wormhole wErKz ..Yo screen Theory ain't cuttin it...

Ole Stat$ izz from Missouri ...ya gotta SHOW ME ..! Proof, like I showed You ...

-Stat$talker

Reply #84

Stack47 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:03:23 GMT

292 divided by 2 and 2 divided by 292 have vastly different answers.

292/2 = 146 and 2/292 = 0.0068493150684932. What does 0.0068493150684932 * 292 equal

Reply #83

Stack47 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:57:14 GMT

Knew a guy that believed a true pick 3 back-up was a straight bet with a front pair or with the other pair bets. His logic was the pair bet was based on a straight and while the box bet pays more, it pays nothing missing the last digit.

Reply #82

rcbbuckeye — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:25:53 GMT

WTG Lakerben

Reply #81

Coin Toss — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:52:21 GMT

Tucker Black, You're getting in your own way with odds, probabilities, etc. ad nauseam. Speaking of flipping coins the Park casino in Vegas had a very popular game, two females would toss two coins and the bets were two heads, two tales and one of each. PS, 292 divided by 2 and 2 divided by 292 have vastly different answers.

Reply #80

Lotterologist — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:49:39 GMT

Congratulations

Reply #79

Tucker Black — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:13:45 GMT

1 in 146 million means 1 divided by 146 million . They're the same.

If you flip a fair coin, you don't say the odds of heads are two . It's one in two , or 50% or half .

Reply #78

Coin Toss — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:08:39 GMT

You must have meant 292 divided by 2, so 146. Your second and third paragraphs contradict each other. From an old video game, Try again you are space cadet.

Reply #77

Tucker Black — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:07:06 GMT

re Pick 2, yes, that is another way to look at it. Draw the first number and then draw the second number (rather than looking at the two digit result).

Because the two digits are independent drawings, the probability of matching the winning 2 digit number is:

Prob(match the first digit) * Prob(match the second digit)

10 tickets each with a different digit for the first one would then be:

100% * 10% = 10%

10 tickets all starting with 5 and a different digit for the s... [ More ]

Reply #76

Tucker Black — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:56:22 GMT

No, you are the one who does not understand probability.

Each ticket does not cover 150 million combinations. Each ticket covers ONE combination out of 292 million possible combinations.

You have 2 distinct tickets. What's 2 divided by 292 million

Reply #75

lakerben — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:20:19 GMT

I bet 003 on two tickets this morning $6. The winning number was 008. It bet the etxra dollar for the front pair and won $100 on two tickets.

Reply #74

Stack47 — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:39:35 GMT

Using the pick 2 example, buying ten lines and each tine has a different digit in the first position, there is a 100% probability of matching the digit drawn in the first digit position. Every line has a 1 in 10 chance of matching even if each line uses the same digit in the second position. Every Powerball payout chart shows that 25 lines has odds of 1 in 11,688,054 and some will say as if 292,201,313 combos magically disappeared just can't comprehend why expressing 25 in 292,201,338 as 1 in 11... [ More ]

Reply #73

Stat$talker — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:52:12 GMT

holding TWO TICKETS. Each ticket alone is 300M but you have TWO of them. 300M divided by 2 is 150M.

Whut you're sayin izz...each one of thoze 2 ticketz would have to cover 150 Million combinationz ea.

It only provez you can Divide ...But YOU don't understand how Probability actually wErKz ..

Wheaa did you git such reazonin, outta a Cracker - Jackz ' Box?

-Stat$talker

Reply #72

Tucker Black — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:15:24 GMT

Good question. It doesn't matter if the first digit is the same or not among the 10 combos. The game is to match both digits exactly. Betting on 00 to 09 also has a 10% chance of winning.

Most lottery players don't care about this and don't visit LP at all. If even just half the lottery players did, this website would crash.

LP members who don't care about this subject aren't here to make their displeasure known -- except for two of them, who are trolls and always have to make nasty or p... [ More ]

Reply #71

Stack47 — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:31:29 GMT

For a Pick 2 game, as long as the numbers are different,

What if the 10 combos played are only using 7 digits in the first position? The math says `buying any 10 combos have the same 10% chance as any other 10 combos, but now only 70 of those possible 100 outcomes can be matched. It sure looks like those 10 combos have a zero chance of matching 30 possible outcomes.

Can't say if the 100 or so lottery players I know are as concerned about probability as you and especially not for most p... [ More ]

Reply #70

Coin Toss — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:30:19 GMT

Tucker Black, Most players aren't as concerned about probabilities as you are or there'd be a lot less lotto games offered. There's a saying. You bets your money and takes your chances which regardless of the game the house is very well aware of.

Reply #69

Tucker Black — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:13:51 GMT

For a Pick 2 game, as long as the numbers are different, 10 combos will have a 1/10 overall chance of winning (assuming the only prize is for hitting a straight). This is because the prize is for matching the numbers exactly.

For secondary prizes where you match only some of the numbers, the probability of winning depends on what numbers you pick. Let's say you are playing Pick 3 and buy 2 combos and bet on a combination straight/box bet, and you make your tickets have three different digits... [ More ]

Reply #68

Stack47 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:00:48 GMT

My 5 out of 6 was barely over $600 and had to pay taxes on it.

Reply #67

Stack47 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:51:52 GMT

It depends on what numbers you pick.

Someone gave an example of a pick 2 game (and most pick 3 games with front pair etc. bets) with 100 possible outcomes. Betting any 10 combos gets 10 to 1 odds, but are the odds the same for any 10 combos and 10 combos with 10 different digits in the first position?

RCB reminded me of when I too hit 5 out of 6 playing the Ohio Lotto when it was a 6/40 game. Wrote down all 40 numbers on playing cards, mixed them up and drew six at a time and placed the... [ More ]

Reply #66

rcbbuckeye — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 02:38:09 GMT

I won about $900 on that Lotto game in the late 1980's. Got 5/6 correct.

If I recall, jackpot was $250,000.

Reply #65

Stack47 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:53:33 GMT

When the Ohio Lottery started a 6/40 lotto game tickets were two for a $1. The first drawing was on April 9, 1986 and the secondary prizes were pari-mutual.

Reply #64

Elizabeth03 — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:38:13 GMT

The Atlantic 49 in Canada. I play this on Wednesday and Saturday. And the tickets cost $1.00

Reply #63

BobP — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:28:44 GMT

Way too far back to remember accurately, recall one of the states that offered two Pick-6 plays for a dollar showed half the normal odds for the dollar played.

BobP

Learning to love yourself, is the greatest love all

Whitney Houston

Reply #62

Tucker Black — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:54:13 GMT

Excellent observation.

The probability of winning the jackpot with one ticket is equal to the probability of matching all five white balls times the probability of matching the Powerball. There are 26 Powerballs, so the probability of matching the Powerball is 1/26.

Let X be equal to the probability of matching all five white balls. Thus, the probability of winning the jackpot is X*1/26.

The probability of winning a million dollars (5+0) is the probability of matching all five white

Reply #61

Stack47 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:57:00 GMT

If you buy two tickets (different numbers) then you have a 1 in 150M chance of winning because you are holding TWO TICKETS. Each ticket alone is 300M but you have TWO of them. 300M divided by 2 is 150M.

Thought this thread would had a great discussion on how odds are applied to various possible outcomes, but instead of using math, some only could offer school yard bully's lame insults. That being said, let's try to prove how buying two tickets actually reduces the expressed odds in half.... [ More ]

Reply #60

Stack47 — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:35:16 GMT

If you hold two tickets for Pick 2, betting on 37 as well as 65, your odds of winning are 1 in 50. The calculation is 2 [number of distinct bets you have made] divided by 100 [number of possible outcomes]. 2 divided by 100 is 1/50. 2/100=1/50=0.02=2%

Don't know how else it could be explained better!

But it looks like some here just don't understand why a 2% chance of winning a game with 100 outcomes is a 1 in 50 chance. Hopefully explaining how buying 10 chances gives an actual 1 in 10... [ More ]

Reply #59

Tucker Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 23:56:05 GMT

Correct

Reply #58

Lotterologist — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 23:20:41 GMT

Interesting...

Reply #57

winoneday — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:14:55 GMT

The odds of winning are 1 in 3.

Reply #56

Tucker Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:12:22 GMT

Any takers

Reply #55

Lotterologist — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:30:03 GMT

These posts are both enlightening and entertaining.

If you can't see the value in these posts, that's a personal problem.

The knowledge i've gained from reading them truly helps me!

Not to mention, some posts are funny and really make you laugh.

With gas prices so high, a good laugh is what I need.

Reply #54

Justing618 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:06:09 GMT

You went from Elmer Fudd math. To Elmer Fudd dice. You should write a book. And call it Elmer Fudd math. That cracks the lottery code.......

Reply #53

Justing618 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:59:55 GMT

You still didn't answer the question. Stop gaslighting me. And stop with the triangulation it's lame. .......... You just described yourself.to a t in your reply to me. Kinda wild hypocrite........

Reply #52

Lotterologist — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:57:16 GMT

I learn a lot from all of the great minds on this thread!

There is something to be learned from you all.

Reply #51

Tucker Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:12:50 GMT

Back to the topic...

Suppose I operate a game where I roll one six-sided die. You can buy a ticket for $1 and bet on any number from 1 to 6. If the die has your number facing up, I'll pay you $5.

With one ticket, your chances of winning are 1 in 6.

Suppose you choose to buy two tickets, one of them on 5 and the other on 6. What is the probability your $2 total bet wins you $5? (a $3 profit

Reply #50

Tucker Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:07:51 GMT

Childish people throw around insults because they're insecure... like you, or a toddler struggling to learn social skills, or our current President. When adults act like toddlers, it means they need help.

In another thread, GiveFive realized I'm not old enough to know that they used to have manual raffle ticket drawings. I just figured it had to be RNG because of the volume.

GiveFive has told us his age. So has Coin Toss. Why don't you malign them for being old? And since when is being o... [ More ]

Reply #49

Justing618 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:35:31 GMT

Seventy eighty a hundred same difference.....What exactly am I hating over? Ur age? Your job? Your math?...... Enlightening me on what I'm hating on Elmer.......

Reply #48

Stat$talker — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:31:33 GMT

A lot of people (maybe even most?) don't even realize that odds aren't the ratio of the number of chances compared to the number of possible outcomes

Thank You !

Finally, somebody that understandz whut Oddz really meanz ... Written in Arial Black , not Tucker Black ..

-Stat$talker

Reply #47

KY Floyd — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:43:17 GMT

There is only one set of winning numbers drawn and each set played is an attempt to match that set.

Suppose you only bought one ticket but they drew two sets of numbers? What would that do to the odds?

I didn't say each additional ticket cuts the odds in half.

That's another part of his inability to understand 3rd grade fractions. He seems to think that we're saying that 2/100ths is twice as much as 1/100th (and might even understand that much) but also thinks that we're saying 2 x... [ More ]

Reply #46

Stat$talker — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:06:17 GMT

I meeaan, I know I cain't compare to You Yo talkin Cricketz,..but Ole Stat $ knowz hiz worth

Still building Bridges, or tearin 'em down AllenB

Reply #45

AllenB — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 03:03:33 GMT

idiot ...My Rep speakz for itself .

I always thought that a Rep was what others thought of someone, NOT what someone thinks of them self.

You can repost that Blue Screens 100 times, but most of us here see right through you.

Your Rep is in your own mind. Here on LP it is the opposite.

Reply #44

Coin Toss — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:55:05 GMT

Again with a hater comment, ain't you just trendy. At least use some original thought, think for yourself, if you're capable.

Reply #43

Tucker Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:50:18 GMT

What's with the ageist comments? I'm not 70. That's a ways off.

Stop being a hater.

You and stats have made many, many rude comments towards me. I make one comment in return and the hater club clutches their pearls. Sad.

Reply #42

Coin Toss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:00:17 GMT

YUP! . I'm, er, I'm 76, no harm done, just struck me funny

Reply #41

Justing618 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:25:20 GMT

You notice how he can ridicule anyone and everyone and it's ok. But if you do it to him. He gets all butthurt about it. If yah can't take it Elmer. Don't dish it......

Reply #40

Justing618 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:20:59 GMT

I'm stupid? You need to look in the mirror there slick. Your 70 and still work. I'll be retired at 55. And at your age. Grandpa. I imagine you have been playing the lottery for a very long time. And you have won how much? So for all the years you have been playing and applying you Elmer Fudd math. You should come to the conclusion after not winning anything worth taking about . That your math ain't mathing. Remember 1+1 doesn't equal potatoes.....

Reply #39

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:12:19 GMT

Stat$talker, and his 3rd grade dropout buddy Justing618, are rude idiots .

I beg Yo pardon ..! One duzzn't force LOz to reprogram their Mainframe, Shut Down a MM Drawing, git soo close til Ole Stat$ shave da paint auwph dem ballz, for Any Game, being an idiot ...My Rep speakz for itself ..

9/3/21

-Stat$talker

Reply #38

Coin Toss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:24:42 GMT

You're the one who was rude, lighten up. They may feel the same way about you and you're giving them cause to. Why do you think you're the one running this board? You seem to be having a bad day but please don't be the thought police.

Reply #37

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:19:33 GMT

Stat$talker, and his 3rd grade dropout buddy Justing618, are rude idiots. I feel sorry for stupid people and try to help them, but not if they're both stupid and rude.

Reply #36

Justing618 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:30:54 GMT

Dat rascially lauderty!........

Reply #35

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:24:37 GMT

Yepp ..That'z why he cain't catch dat elusive Colowado Lauwdery Wabbit ..

Reply #34

Justing618 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:38:47 GMT

More of that Elmer Fudd math.......

Reply #33

Coin Toss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:17:22 GMT

You be nice! Why do you want to talk to someone else like that?

Now I'll have to tell the story about when Colorado got casinos and people left Vegas to go to jobs there and were bask in Nevada asking for their jpobs back because they had left $75 to $200 a day jobs and weren't amking $20 in Coloradio. (tips). This was where ever the first casino opened there.

Reply #32

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:45:27 GMT

Wow, that made no sense at all.

Do the restaurants in your area give you a discount if you point to the menu to indicate what you wish to eat because they've grown tired of having to refer to their retard-to-English dictionary?

I WANTED CHEEZ WHITHZ ON MY SALARD! CHEEZ WHITHZZZZ

Reply #31

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:32:48 GMT

In what alternative universe is 2 in 300 million not equal to 1 in 150 million? It's the same number!

Git Elon Musk to use Yo example of owing 300 Million, but tellz his creditorz It'z the same az owing them 150 Million.. See how he'll look at you.!

Lemme help ya out a lil... Maybe the werd you're meaning to use izz... Equivalent cauze just becauze 2 thangz are equivalent, duzzn't mean they're the same ...

1 quarter of a 10 pizza iz equivalent to 1 quarter of a 12 pizza in proport... [ More ]

Reply #30

Elizabeth03 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:14:21 GMT

I will buy more than one ticket for a lottery.

Reply #29

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:11:23 GMT

No, you are the one who needs help.

In what alternative universe is 2 in 300 million not equal to 1 in 150 million? It's the same number! Use a calculator because your head is clearly not screwed on correctly.

Reply #28

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:08:41 GMT

I've already computed it in my head....Yo answer to yo example of 2 ticketz of 300 Million izz WrOnG... It'z still roughly 1 in 293 Million ...even afterwardz of buying 2 tickets...!!

YOU NEED HELP

Reply #27

hypersoniq — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:06:50 GMT

Yeah, that was an error that has since been corrected.

Reply #26

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:05:59 GMT

Yes, it's still a very low chance, but what if the 10th ticket is a winner?

If one is concerned about the low chances of winning these types of games, one would not buy a single ticket in the first place.

Reply #25

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:02:47 GMT

Do you have access to a calculator? Use it and then get back to me.

Reply #24

hypersoniq — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:02 GMT

The easy way to understand the difference is from the end of Tucker's last post...

4/500,000... this is where probability stops... one ticket gives you 4 favorable outcomes to the 500,000 possible outcomes. This is the reality of any game. Only here we have 4 top prizes instead of one.

1/125,000... this is where the Odds are... which is favorable outcomes to unfavorable outcomes. He is correct in performing the division here because for every favorable outcome there are 125,000 unfavorab... [ More ]

Reply #23

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:59:52 GMT

2 divided by 300 million is equal to 1 divided by 150 million. They are the same .

Vooo Dooo Math , at It'z BEST

Reply #22

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:09:40 GMT

It is true that the probability of winning the first prize is 1 in 500,000. It is also true that the probability of winning the second prize, assuming you didn't win the first prize, is 1 in 499,999.

The probability of one raffle ticket winning a million dollars is the sum of the probabilities of that raffle ticket winning the first prize OR the second prize OR the third prize OR the fourth prize. One raffle ticket cannot win more than once, which simplifies the calculation a bit.

Probab... [ More ]

Reply #21

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:58:24 GMT

I didn't eliminate half the combinations. I bought 2 tickets.

2 divided by 300 million is equal to 1 divided by 150 million. They are the same.

If I said I'm going to roll a six-sided die and you win if 5 or 6 show up, would you say it's 'wrong' that your chances of winning are not one third (1/3, or one in three

Reply #20

hypersoniq — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:50:47 GMT

The PA raffle logic is based on the number of tickets sold, so if there is a sellout, the odds are correctly stated as 125,000 to 1. (500,000 tickets, 4 top prizes)

Now, if there are less tickets sold, only sold numbers go into the raffle... if only half sell, then the possible outcomes are reduced... to 62,500 to 1 (odds) (250,000 tickets, 4 top prizes)

They put these tickets that win the weekly $50,000 back in for the big prize drawing, but actually you are correct, the possible outcom... [ More ]

Reply #19

GiveFive — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:56:09 GMT

I too have had 'trouble' with what's being argued so passionately in this thread.

When I lived in the Northeast, although I lived in New York State, I lived in close proximity to Pennsylvania. Every Fall The PA Lottery (for what I'm guessing is the last 20 years or more) holds their Millionaire Raffle. According to the raffles official rules, a maximum of 500,000 tickets can be sold. The PA Lottery has always advertised the odds for the raffle at 125,000 to 1 because there are 4 top prize w... [ More ]

Reply #18

MG2150 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:51:11 GMT

Ok.

Mathematically, this is correct, from a purely numerical point of view.

However, it doesn't change the fact that the total number of combinations remains the same.

Therefore, it's 2 out of 300M!

Because 1 out of 150M means you managed the miracle of eliminating half of all possible combinations

Reply #17

Stat$talker — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:38:56 GMT

When you buy more than one ticket, you can calculate your odds of winning simply by dividing the stated odds by the number of tickets you hold.

THIZ izz the ODDcome of uzin cottoneyedjoe's broken Calculator...and a decrepit brain ..

Stick yo big head BACK in dat Probability Book.. Tucker Black

Az Oddz of winning A prize , are different than winning THE prize..

-Stat$talker

Reply #16

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:17:31 GMT

Each ticket is a 1 in 300M chance to win. It doesn't matter whether two tickets were bought by one person or two different people. Each ticket is a 1 in 300M chance.

If you buy two tickets (different numbers) then you have a 1 in 150M chance of winning because you are holding TWO TICKETS. Each ticket alone is 300M but you have TWO of them. 300M divided by 2 is 150M.

If you buy a third ticket, your chances of winning improve to 100M. Not 75M (half of 150M), it's 100M because you have thre... [ More ]

Reply #15

Tucker Black — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:08:54 GMT

Fun quiz. Got 100%.

Reply #14

hypersoniq — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:39:08 GMT

So we can see where the confusion comes from... original post is about odds, but title says probability...

Probability of buying N tickets for X possible combinations is ALWAYS N in X or N out of X. in probability X is the possible combos and cannot be reduced, your probability with 2 tickets of a pick 2 is ALWAYS 2 in 100, buy 5 tickets, it is 5 out of 100.

The Odds are different, you can express those as (N-X) to (N), such as pick 2 with one ticket being 99 to 1 odds, with 5 tickets yo... [ More ]

Reply #13

Coin Toss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:29:25 GMT

Go here;

https://floridalottery.com/play-responsibly#title-485efd20b4

Then scroll down to Test Your Lottery Knowledge

Reply #12

winterbird — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:55:57 GMT

Each individual ticket is 1:x.

But a person with two tickets has the odds of 2:x. Or 1: whatever number is half of x.

Reply #11

Coin Toss — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:09:51 GMT

Each ticket is up against the same odds. Take your theory to PB and MM level. Consider that for every drawing those who play do not realize they are all part of one humongous pool. We'll use odds of 300,000,000 to malt it easier. So if the first ticket is up against 300M and the next ticket is up against 150M, etc. somebody will have twin. Oh, wait, many drawings go by with no jackpot winners. Gee, how can that be because Tucker Black said..................,Go to the Florida lottery website and... [ More ]

Reply #10

MartyMcNuts — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:09:49 GMT

2 out of 100

5 out of 100

And before you say these can be calculated as

1 out of 50

1 out of 20

they cannot as there are always 100 combinations. If you buy a combination, that does not mean there are 99 left. Someone else can also buy the same combination as you because there are always 100 combinations available. In your example, the probability of winning is always X out of 100.

You should remember that the probability (chances) of winning and odds of winning... [ More ]

Reply #9

Tucker Black — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:47:59 GMT

Hey Coin Toss...

Pick 2. Easy game, with 100 possible outcomes.

I have 2 tickets. What are my odds of winning?

Now I have 5 tickets. What are my odds of winning

Reply #8

Coin Toss — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:10:34 GMT

Nope. There is only one set numbers drawn to determine what set of numbers wins a jackpot. No matter how many tickets are played in an attempt to win the jackpot every single one of those tickets are up against the jackpot odds. Anything else is urban legend or a unicorn in a lottery sense. People desperately want to believe they can jump through all kinds of hoops to reduce the odds but that might as well be filed under 'Once upon a time'. If it were true there would be one heck of a lot more j... [ More ]

Reply #7

winoneday — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:07:58 GMT

Tucker gave you a formula to calculate the odds. You are not using the formula in your explanation.

Reread Tucker's explanation.

Reply #6

Coin Toss — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:04:21 GMT

If one PB ticket is up against 292.2 million odds and an additional ticket cuts those odds in half (so say you) then every additional tickets cuts the odds of the ticket bought just before it in half, no? As for the books in the casino bookshops they did sell Beat the Dealer and John Scarne books but gamblers tend to be more interested in hype than facts.

Reply #5

winoneday — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:57:59 GMT

Tucker, thank you for the very concise explanation. I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, the people that already did not believe what you wrote will probably not be convinced. They do not want to admit they were once mistaken.

Improving the odds is exactly why I only buy tickets as a member of a pool. I never buy a ticket on my own.

Yes, I could win a pick 3 game but winning $500 is not very exciting for me. Winning the Mega Millions or Powerball games is nearly impossible when buying y... [ More ]

Reply #4

MsBee18 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 18:44:38 GMT

Some would argue if you cared so deeply about the odds you wouldn't play at all.

Reply #3

Tucker Black — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:42:45 GMT

I would be shocked if a casino sold books about gambling with any truth in them. They need people to make bad bets.

I didn't say each additional ticket cuts the odds in half. I said the odds of you winning is (odds of one ticket winning) divided by (number of tickets).

Use my pick 2 example. What are the odds of me winning if I buy 2 tickets? How about 5 tickets

Reply #2

Coin Toss — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:39:56 GMT

Tucker Black, Nope. As for PB and MM each additional ticket reducing the odds by millions is urban legend at best. There is only one set of winning numbers drawn and each set played is an attempt to match that set. Then there's always the possibility that someone with very deep pockets could play enough tickets using your theory to win the jackpot by wait! They read your post but you never mentioned the jackpot might be split by the number of winners! Way back when I first started casino work I... [ More ]

Reply #1

Mobile Merchant — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:11:14 GMT

Good day;

We have the Pick 2 game (00 - 99) here in Ontario and its the only game I spend a lot of time on trying to snag a win.

I've done all kinds of back testings workouts and analysis and the closes I've come to a win is to match the 1st digit of the winning pair which was played. I'm now focusing on double digits ex: 11 00 99 etc to appear but their hit frequencies are few and far between.

Hopefully, one of these days I'll get lucky.

By the way, thanks for shedding a lig... [ More ]

Probability of winning with multiple tickets

Tucker Black — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 06:52:14 GMT

In this thread we will discuss how to calculate your odds of winning a draw game if you buy more than one ticket.

Any lottery's website gives you the odds, but that is for one ticket.

When you buy more than one ticket, you can calculate your odds of winning simply by dividing the stated odds by the number of tickets you hold.

Let's take, for example, a Pick 2 game. Even if your state's lottery doesn't operate a Pick 2, if they operate a Pick 3 and let you bet on the front pair or bac... [ More ]