A Northstar Cash ticket that Raymond Snouffer Jr. purchased for the Feb. 10 drawing matched all five winning numbers drawn (11-14-23-26-31) to win the $25,000 jackpot.
The next day he did it again. A ticket that he purchased for the Feb. 11 Northstar Cash drawing matched all five winning numbers drawn (3-7-11-19-28) to win another $25,000 jackpot!
This unbelievable feat has never been done in Minnesota on any jackpot game, and the odds of it happening are virtually incalculable. But what is known is Snouffer is one very lucky lottery player.
Snouffer's winning ticket for the Feb. 10 drawing was purchased at Holiday, located at 1444 E. Minnehaha in St. Paul. He purchased his second winning ticket for the Feb. 11 drawing at Fastbreak, located at 3001 White Bear Ave. N. St. suite 1025 in Maplewood.
The daily Northstar Cash jackpot game has been very popular with players. The game saw four jackpots of $65,009, $25,000, $25,000 and $25,000 being won during the four day, Feb. 9-Feb. 12 period. The Northstar jackpot averages about one jackpot win every week.
To play Northstar Cash, players select five numbers from 1 to 31. Matching the five numbers drawn wins the jackpot, which starts at $25,000 and grows until it is won. Players also win by matching 2, 3 or 4 of the numbers drawn.
The odds of winning one Northstar Cash jackpot is about 1 in 170,000.
He needs to aim higher now. Like trying to hit Hot Lotto. Powerball will always be around, even if it continues to change its matrixes every few years.
I hit 4 of 5 in our state lottery twice in the same week, I don't know if this was lucky or unlucky, because the payout only $400 total, but 5 of 5 would have been $500,000.
The article said the odds were 1 in 170,000, what are the odds of doing that twice in a row?
Good for him!! I'd love to win just one $25,000 jackpot.
"The odds of winning one Northstar Cash jackpot is about 1 in 170,000."
Regarding a pick-5 game: the odds shown for Florida Fantasy 5 which has 36 numbers is 1:377,000
The average jackpot is $250,000. Sometimes one person wins, but often there are 3 or 4 winners. Obviously, the population here makes a difference, since there have been as many as 15 or 20 winners (although that's unusual) splitting one jackpot, especially if the 5 numbers are low.
Would a member who is better at math than I please explain why adding 5 more numbers makes such a huge difference.
Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Feb 15, 2007
Good for him!! I'd love to win just one $25,000 jackpot.
"The odds of winning one Northstar Cash jackpot is about 1 in 170,000."
Regarding a pick-5 game: the odds shown for Florida Fantasy 5 which has 36 numbers is 1:377,000
The average jackpot is $250,000. Sometimes one person wins, but often there are 3 or 4 winners. Obviously, the population here makes a difference, since there have been as many as 15 or 20 winners (although that's unusual) splitting one jackpot, especially if the 5 numbers are low.
Would a member who is better at math than I please explain why adding 5 more numbers makes such a huge difference.
I'll give the explanation a try.
The odds don't increase equally with each extra ball in the lottery. Every extra ball adds more odds than the previous ball. Odds of winning a 5/31 jackpot are precisely 1 in 169,911. Odds in a 5/32 jackpot are 1 in 201,376. A difference of 31,465. But the odds of winning a 5/33 jackpot are 1 in 237,336, a difference of 35,960 above the 5/32 game.
The formula for figuring out odds is a bit complex, but it can be boiled down to this:
Start with the total number of balls. In the story, this is 31. There are 5 balls drawn, so multiply 31 x 30 x 29 x 28 x 27. Then divide that result by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
In the 5/36 game you cited, it would be 36 x 35 x 34 x 33 x 32 divided by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
For another example, take a 6/49 game, you would do 49 x 48 x 47 x 46 x 45 x 44 divided by 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, to get odds of 1 in 13,983,816.
I hope this helps to explain why each additional number adds more combinations than the previous number.
Okay, it all makes sense to me. I was being lazy I guess, but sometimes it's nice to see it written out clearly so I can say "Oh, I see." This is why I was so opposed to increasing the Florida Lotto from 49 to 53 numbers. That was several years back, so I have to let that rant go, but I still think 6/49 is high enough. If I wasn't so "committed" to playing my Lotto numbers (I should be committed LOL!) I would probably play the pick-5 games more often. It's true that increasing the matrix and having 2 draws a week instead of 1 has caused the jackpots to increase faster. But who needs $40 million? (I do, but I'd settle for 1 or 2!)
Tony95, i think the odds are higher if you do it the following day...The question should be what are the odds of doing it twice and in a row...Couple of people have done it twice but not the following day, which is hard..I don't know is just my opinion..
"the odds of it happening are virtually incalculable"
Geez. Has anyone ever considered making it illegal for morons to be reporters? The odds are extremely steep and extremely easy to calculate. If the odds of doing it once are 1 in 170,000 then the odds of doing it twice are 1 in 170,000^2, assuming the guy only bought two tickets.
If he bought more tickets the odds go down. If he bought two tickest for each of those drawings but not for any other day then the odds were 1 in 85,000^2. Assuming he's been buying tickets for that game regularly the odds go down every day he plays. The odds of any one person having back to back wins will always be steep even for games with relativley low odds, but with enough people playing enough games it's a virtual certainty that somebody will do it every once ina while.
Quote: Originally posted by dphillips on Feb 15, 2007
I wonder if he's married? Since, I'm not, and he's that lucky, I'm going to ask him: "will he marry me?"
$50,000 after taxes isn't going to go vary far so you had better wait until he wins a jackpot worth several million dollars but of course you'll have a lot more competition then.
Quote: Originally posted by KY Floyd on Feb 15, 2007
"the odds of it happening are virtually incalculable"
Geez. Has anyone ever considered making it illegal for morons to be reporters? The odds are extremely steep and extremely easy to calculate. If the odds of doing it once are 1 in 170,000 then the odds of doing it twice are 1 in 170,000^2, assuming the guy only bought two tickets.
If he bought more tickets the odds go down. If he bought two tickest for each of those drawings but not for any other day then the odds were 1 in 85,000^2. Assuming he's been buying tickets for that game regularly the odds go down every day he plays. The odds of any one person having back to back wins will always be steep even for games with relativley low odds, but with enough people playing enough games it's a virtual certainty that somebody will do it every once ina while.
I don't think is as easy as to say 170,000 X 2...and i disagree...Is a little easy to do it any day after the first win, but VERY hard to do it the following day...
"More Important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet.."..."
The MegaMoney here is 5 numbers. First 4 numbers from 1 to 44 and the MegaBall 1 to 22
Odds are 1:2,986,522 according to the FL web site
Last week there was a news article announcing a woman won it a second time (not in a row, but still, twice with those odds!!) She won $2M on Jan 30 and split a jackpot (winning $320K) in 1998. Maybe I'm playing the wrong game!
But I really think, in most cases, it's just being at the right place at the right time. (they were quick picks)
"The MegaMoney here is 5 numbers. First 4 numbers from 1 to 44 and the MegaBall 1 to 22"
So actually, like PB and MM, it's two lottery gmes in one. If you guess right and get the 4 in the 44 matrix, you still have to have the right MegaBall.
Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Feb 15, 2007
I don't think is as easy as to say 170,000 X 2...and i disagree...Is a little easy to do it any day after the first win, but VERY hard to do it the following day...
"More Important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet.."..."
I didn't say it was 170,000 X 2, I said it was 170,000^2. That's 170,000 squared, or 170,000 X 170,000, which is 85,000 times less likely than 170,000 X 2.
It isn't when the two wins happen that determines the odds. It's how many tickets he had and for how many drawings. The probability of two events happening depend on how many events could happen and the chances for each event to happen. If he bought a single ticket every day for 10 days there would be the possibility of winning on any or all of the ten days. The odds against winning on any days 1 and 2 would be 1 in 170,000^2. The odds of winning on days 2 and 3 would also be 1 in 170,000^2, the odds of winning on days 3 and 4 would be 1 in 170,000^2, and so on through days 9 and 10. Each 2 day period would have the same 1 in 170,000^2 odds, but he would have had 9 different chances to win on consecutive days, so the odds would then be 1 in (170,000^2)/9. If he bought tickets every day for 30 days it woud be (170,000^2)/29
That's assuming he only bought one ticket each day. Buying multiple tickets would reduce the odds against winning that day. Buying 2 tickets would make him twice as likely to win, buying 3 tickets would make him three times as likely to win, etc. If he bought 2 tickets the odds for each day woud be 2 in 170,000 or 1 in 85,000. 2 tickets a day for 10 days straight would then be 1 in (85,000^2)/9, or 4 times more likely.
Still, no matter how many tickets he was buying, or how long he'd been buying them, the odds are extremely steep.
Quote: Originally posted by Prob988 on Feb 15, 2007
His odds of doing that would be one in 29 billion. I'd feel ripped of if I beat such odds and only got 50 grand.
The payouts aren't based on winning twice, and two winners on two consecutive days is the norm. Do you think they should pay a lot more to any two people who win on consecutive days?
Quote: Originally posted by JAG331 on Feb 15, 2007
I'll give the explanation a try.
The odds don't increase equally with each extra ball in the lottery. Every extra ball adds more odds than the previous ball. Odds of winning a 5/31 jackpot are precisely 1 in 169,911. Odds in a 5/32 jackpot are 1 in 201,376. A difference of 31,465. But the odds of winning a 5/33 jackpot are 1 in 237,336, a difference of 35,960 above the 5/32 game.
The formula for figuring out odds is a bit complex, but it can be boiled down to this:
Start with the total number of balls. In the story, this is 31. There are 5 balls drawn, so multiply 31 x 30 x 29 x 28 x 27. Then divide that result by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
In the 5/36 game you cited, it would be 36 x 35 x 34 x 33 x 32 divided by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
For another example, take a 6/49 game, you would do 49 x 48 x 47 x 46 x 45 x 44 divided by 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, to get odds of 1 in 13,983,816.
I hope this helps to explain why each additional number adds more combinations than the previous number.
Calculating odds is a d iverting pastime, and most of us do it. But in the end, it appears that if you are meant to hit, you will, and the odds mean nothing. Even with the 142 million to one PB odds, someone will eventually beat those odds and hit it.
Therefore, I look more at how much I'm spending than what the odds are that I will hit.
Quote: Originally posted by KY Floyd on Feb 16, 2007
I didn't say it was 170,000 X 2, I said it was 170,000^2. That's 170,000 squared, or 170,000 X 170,000, which is 85,000 times less likely than 170,000 X 2.
It isn't when the two wins happen that determines the odds. It's how many tickets he had and for how many drawings. The probability of two events happening depend on how many events could happen and the chances for each event to happen. If he bought a single ticket every day for 10 days there would be the possibility of winning on any or all of the ten days. The odds against winning on any days 1 and 2 would be 1 in 170,000^2. The odds of winning on days 2 and 3 would also be 1 in 170,000^2, the odds of winning on days 3 and 4 would be 1 in 170,000^2, and so on through days 9 and 10. Each 2 day period would have the same 1 in 170,000^2 odds, but he would have had 9 different chances to win on consecutive days, so the odds would then be 1 in (170,000^2)/9. If he bought tickets every day for 30 days it woud be (170,000^2)/29
That's assuming he only bought one ticket each day. Buying multiple tickets would reduce the odds against winning that day. Buying 2 tickets would make him twice as likely to win, buying 3 tickets would make him three times as likely to win, etc. If he bought 2 tickets the odds for each day woud be 2 in 170,000 or 1 in 85,000. 2 tickets a day for 10 days straight would then be 1 in (85,000^2)/9, or 4 times more likely.
Still, no matter how many tickets he was buying, or how long he'd been buying them, the odds are extremely steep.
And i bet that if he bought 2 tickets on day 1 and on day 2 he would have had the same odds as if he had bought it on day 1 and on day 3 or 4 or 5 or any other day that's not consecutive...And that's on of the things i disagree with mathematics, because everyone knows is harder to win a lottery on day 1 and on day 2 (consecutively), than it is to win it on day 1 and on day 3 or any day that's not consecutive...Example..As it happened to you that you win the pick3 one day and win it 5 or 7 days later, but you probably have never won pick3, 2 days in a row or 3 days in a row, why? because is very hard...Is easy to win pick3 one day and win it 15 days later than is to win it consecutively every following day...
This example is one of the small things i don't like about mathematics..Example one of the things i don't like about mathematics, is when geometry texbooks instead of selecting definitions that everyone agree on; they select technical definitions and in the end of the year kids don't recall those technical definitions but instead kids recall definitions that sits well with them...
"More important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet..".."
Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Feb 16, 2007
And i bet that if he bought 2 tickets on day 1 and on day 2 he would have had the same odds as if he had bought it on day 1 and on day 3 or 4 or 5 or any other day that's not consecutive...And that's on of the things i disagree with mathematics, because everyone knows is harder to win a lottery on day 1 and on day 2 (consecutively), than it is to win it on day 1 and on day 3 or any day that's not consecutive...Example..As it happened to you that you win the pick3 one day and win it 5 or 7 days later, but you probably have never won pick3, 2 days in a row or 3 days in a row, why? because is very hard...Is easy to win pick3 one day and win it 15 days later than is to win it consecutively every following day...
This example is one of the small things i don't like about mathematics..Example one of the things i don't like about mathematics, is when geometry texbooks instead of selecting definitions that everyone agree on; they select technical definitions and in the end of the year kids don't recall those technical definitions but instead kids recall definitions that sits well with them...
"More important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet..".."
Strange that you posted this while I was typing. This is what I was writing which sort of agrees with your concept:
Okay, I have another way of looking at the odds here. I know this might sound stupid, but every time I read these posts, I am thinking of each lottery draw as an entirely different game.
So, let's say Sue Jones buys a ticket to a game where the odds are 1:170,000 and she wins.
Then Joe Brown buys a ticket to a game where the odds are 1:170,000 and he wins.
Does the fact that they won change the odds? I don't think so. This is why I am questioning why winning 2 days in a row changes the odds. The odds are 170,000 to 1 for every game. If each game is random, each time you fill out a card you have an equal shot at winning as the other guy, right? Does it make a difference if the guy is you? Why? What if he won and then his wife won or his next door neighbor? Would this have created so much commotion in the news? As Denzel Washington said in the movie Philadelphia "Explain it to me like I'm a 4 year old, okay?"
I think when they say the ods against...." in a case like this the focus is on the odds against the same person hitting, and I think that is actually nore a mystical thing than a mathematical thing.
Consider:
"What are the odds against hitting this jackpot?"
"1:170,000, Sue."
"Yeah, but I hit it last draw, so now what are MY odds?"
So is there is difference between odds and chance? I believe "odds" are mathematical statistics. The odds are always 170,000 to one that a person will win this game.
But what are the chances someone will win twice? Very great indeed. 2 consecutive days? Astronomical!
There is another way of looking at it too - as if he is playing 2 different games and won both. So then instead of a game with 31 numbers, for example, there would be 62 numbers. So the odds of getting 10 numbers out of 62 numbers is entirely different than getting 5 out of 31 twice. (no?)
The odds of a jackpot win ON 2 SPECIFIC DRAWINGS (consecutive or otherwise) and BY PLAYING ONLY ONE TICKET each time would be one in 170,000 squared. I THINK it comes to (check my math) 28,900,000,000 (28 BILLION, 900 million!!!) to 1. HOWEVER comma there are ways to reduce the odds! Instead of a specific two drawings, make it over several months or years "any" 2 conecutive (or otherwise) drawings, and instead of "one" ticket each time, make it "100" (or whatever) tickets each time, especially the 2nd time he PROBABLY played more than one! If you figure he could have played one or a few tickets every day for years the odds of it happening become comparable to the odds "only" of being struck by lightning. If you factor in that he could have had a system (they don't specify how he picked the #s), that could further shrink the odds. Then multiply THAT with how many people total are playing the game regularly, and eventually it almost HAS to happen sometime!
I do ***NOT*** recommend moving from that game to Hot Lotto, unless the former is also RNG based. I generally don't recommend ANY games that are RNG.
Quote: Originally posted by LckyLary on Feb 17, 2007
The odds of a jackpot win ON 2 SPECIFIC DRAWINGS (consecutive or otherwise) and BY PLAYING ONLY ONE TICKET each time would be one in 170,000 squared. I THINK it comes to (check my math) 28,900,000,000 (28 BILLION, 900 million!!!) to 1. HOWEVER comma there are ways to reduce the odds! Instead of a specific two drawings, make it over several months or years "any" 2 conecutive (or otherwise) drawings, and instead of "one" ticket each time, make it "100" (or whatever) tickets each time, especially the 2nd time he PROBABLY played more than one! If you figure he could have played one or a few tickets every day for years the odds of it happening become comparable to the odds "only" of being struck by lightning. If you factor in that he could have had a system (they don't specify how he picked the #s), that could further shrink the odds. Then multiply THAT with how many people total are playing the game regularly, and eventually it almost HAS to happen sometime!
I do ***NOT*** recommend moving from that game to Hot Lotto, unless the former is also RNG based. I generally don't recommend ANY games that are RNG.
You can find out on LP which games are ball-drawn and which have computerized drawings. AFAIK all of Minnesota's games are computerized, except of course Powerball.
Quote: Originally posted by Coin Toss on Feb 16, 2007
I think when they say the ods against...." in a case like this the focus is on the odds against the same person hitting, and I think that is actually nore a mystical thing than a mathematical thing.
Consider:
"What are the odds against hitting this jackpot?"
"1:170,000, Sue."
"Yeah, but I hit it last draw, so now what are MY odds?"
This story and the other stories about people winning twice are the perfect answer to your last question. The odds of winning are always a function of the game's odds and how many tickets you have, and only a function of the game's odds and how many tickets you have. Nothing else matters. Buy a ticket and your odds of winning are exactly the same as the odds for anyone else who buys a ticket. It doesn't matter whether you've never won before, won a few years ago or won the last 5 days in a row. What happened in the past has absolutely no effect on what happens in the next drawing.
The chances of any particular set of numbers coming up on the next drawing are also exactly the same. If there are 170,000 possible combinations, then every combination has a 1 in 170,000 chance of being drawn, whether it's a combination that has never been drawn, one that was drawn a few years ago or the one that was drawn in the previous drawing.
It's not the fact that somebody won before or that a combination was drawn before that makes it extremely unlikely for that person or that combination to repeat. What makes it unlikely is just the high odds for any particular outcome. When there are 170,000 possible outcomes it's 169,999 times more likely that the outcome will be one of any 169,999 possibilities than the1 remaining possibility.
Look at the Chicago Bulls and the NBA for example...I am sure every team will have the odds of winning the NBA Championship...But what are the odds that one team will win it almost 7 year in a row?That's what make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever..I am sure some teams may come close to getting 7 championships on their lifetime, but no team will win it in a row, that's what make the Chicago Bulls (under MIchael Jordan), the greatest team EVER (which made Michael Jordan the greatest player ever)...What make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever? That they won the NBA championship almost 7 years in a row...If they had won it sporadically they probably wouldn't be considered the greatest team ever...
"Laura Simpson from Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich...." "She is so rare..."
Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Feb 24, 2007
Look at the Chicago Bulls and the NBA for example...I am sure every team will have the odds of winning the NBA Championship...But what are the odds that one team will win it almost 7 year in a row?That's what make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever..I am sure some teams may come close to getting 7 championships on their lifetime, but no team will win it in a row, that's what make the Chicago Bulls (under MIchael Jordan), the greatest team EVER (which made Michael Jordan the greatest player ever)...What make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever? That they won the NBA championship almost 7 years in a row...If they had won it sporadically they probably wouldn't be considered the greatest team ever...
"Laura Simpson from Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich...." "She is so rare..."
Not at all. You are giving an entirely different example which has nothing to do with luck or chance. When a team wins a championship it takes skill, athletic ability, great coaching and team effort and planning your strategy against the opponents.
The back to back hits are incredible from a mystical perspective, and I'll still say mathematical, too.
Did everyone who play the first game play the secnd game?
very likely not.
Did people who had not played the first game play the second game?
Very likely yes.
Is this common, same person back to back hits?
Obvipusly not with as many lottery drawings as there have been since New Hampshire started it all.
The ods against a particular set of numbers from drawing to drawing are a constant, true. But this goes beyond that.
pumpi
There are so many factors that go into sports that it is very difficult to name the 'best team ever'. no team can ssume everyone will stay healthy and uninjured over the course of a lenghty season, for one thing.
Years ago there was a softball team named The King (Eddy Feigner) and His Court. They finished most seasons undefeated, and only played with a four man team. Eddy Feigner even pitched blindfolded.
There's a collegiate rugby team, I think it's Univ. of California, that was so strong that opponenets forfeited games instead of showing up to play them.
Granted that was softball and college, but still.
And here's something that the public isn't suppossed to know- an owner would prefer a very close second place finish than a first place finish or even a championship, and here's why - the attendance is up while the pennant race is going on but the ext year he deosn't have players all negotioting their contracts by saying, "I helped get us to the Super Bowl / World Series / title game", etc...
Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Feb 24, 2007
Look at the Chicago Bulls and the NBA for example...I am sure every team will have the odds of winning the NBA Championship...But what are the odds that one team will win it almost 7 year in a row?That's what make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever..I am sure some teams may come close to getting 7 championships on their lifetime, but no team will win it in a row, that's what make the Chicago Bulls (under MIchael Jordan), the greatest team EVER (which made Michael Jordan the greatest player ever)...What make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever? That they won the NBA championship almost 7 years in a row...If they had won it sporadically they probably wouldn't be considered the greatest team ever...
"Laura Simpson from Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich...." "She is so rare..."
pumpi76... as far as odds and sports team championships, I echo everything else that has been written about teams, coaches, etc.
However as far as your statement that no team will win in 7 years in a row; well it has happend. In fact in a 13 year span (between the 1956-57 and 1968-69 seasons) the Boston Celtics won 11 championships and at one point 11 in a row! That is the defintion of a sports dynasty.
Quote: Originally posted by CA LotteryGuy on Feb 24, 2007
pumpi76... as far as odds and sports team championships, I echo everything else that has been written about teams, coaches, etc.
However as far as your statement that no team will win in 7 years in a row; well it has happend. In fact in a 13 year span (between the 1956-57 and 1968-69 seasons) the Boston Celtics won 11 championships and at one point 11 in a row! That is the defintion of a sports dynasty.
Yes, I was a proud New Englander at the time. Born & raised. The Celtics, The Boston Patriots, The Boston Bruins, The Red Sox. A great town! (Beans or no beans.) Surprised I didn't think of this example. Thanks CALotteryGuy.
He needs to aim higher now. Like trying to hit Hot Lotto. Powerball will always be around, even if it continues to change its matrixes every few years.
Wow...I'd like to take him to Vegas with me this summer! Congrats!
I hit 4 of 5 in our state lottery twice in the same week, I don't know if this was lucky or unlucky, because the payout only $400 total, but 5 of 5 would have been $500,000.
The article said the odds were 1 in 170,000, what are the odds of doing that twice in a row?
Good for him!! I'd love to win just one $25,000 jackpot.
"The odds of winning one Northstar Cash jackpot is about 1 in 170,000."
Regarding a pick-5 game: the odds shown for Florida Fantasy 5 which has 36 numbers is 1:377,000
The average jackpot is $250,000. Sometimes one person wins, but often there are 3 or 4 winners. Obviously, the population here makes a difference, since there have been as many as 15 or 20 winners (although that's unusual) splitting one jackpot, especially if the 5 numbers are low.
Would a member who is better at math than I please explain why adding 5 more numbers makes such a huge difference.
Now here's the $25,000 question.....QPs or does this guy have a system?
Congrats Raymond!
I'll give the explanation a try.
The odds don't increase equally with each extra ball in the lottery. Every extra ball adds more odds than the previous ball. Odds of winning a 5/31 jackpot are precisely 1 in 169,911. Odds in a 5/32 jackpot are 1 in 201,376. A difference of 31,465. But the odds of winning a 5/33 jackpot are 1 in 237,336, a difference of 35,960 above the 5/32 game.
The formula for figuring out odds is a bit complex, but it can be boiled down to this:
Start with the total number of balls. In the story, this is 31. There are 5 balls drawn, so multiply 31 x 30 x 29 x 28 x 27. Then divide that result by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
In the 5/36 game you cited, it would be 36 x 35 x 34 x 33 x 32 divided by 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.
For another example, take a 6/49 game, you would do 49 x 48 x 47 x 46 x 45 x 44 divided by 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1, to get odds of 1 in 13,983,816.
I hope this helps to explain why each additional number adds more combinations than the previous number.
Thanks, JAG331.
Okay, it all makes sense to me. I was being lazy I guess, but sometimes it's nice to see it written out clearly so I can say "Oh, I see." This is why I was so opposed to increasing the Florida Lotto from 49 to 53 numbers. That was several years back, so I have to let that rant go, but I still think 6/49 is high enough. If I wasn't so "committed" to playing my Lotto numbers (I should be committed LOL!) I would probably play the pick-5 games more often. It's true that increasing the matrix and having 2 draws a week instead of 1 has caused the jackpots to increase faster. But who needs $40 million? (I do, but I'd settle for 1 or 2!)
Tony95, i think the odds are higher if you do it the following day...The question should be what are the odds of doing it twice and in a row...Couple of people have done it twice but not the following day, which is hard..I don't know is just my opinion..
"the odds of it happening are virtually incalculable"
Geez. Has anyone ever considered making it illegal for morons to be reporters? The odds are extremely steep and extremely easy to calculate. If the odds of doing it once are 1 in 170,000 then the odds of doing it twice are 1 in 170,000^2, assuming the guy only bought two tickets.
If he bought more tickets the odds go down. If he bought two tickest for each of those drawings but not for any other day then the odds were 1 in 85,000^2. Assuming he's been buying tickets for that game regularly the odds go down every day he plays. The odds of any one person having back to back wins will always be steep even for games with relativley low odds, but with enough people playing enough games it's a virtual certainty that somebody will do it every once ina while.
I wonder if he's married? Since, I'm not, and he's that lucky, I'm going to ask him: "will he marry me?"
It would make quite a scene if someone in California wins Megamillions and Super Lotto Plus back-to-back.
$50,000 after taxes isn't going to go vary far so you had better wait until he wins a jackpot worth several million dollars but of course you'll have a lot more competition then.
Of course, I was being facetious!
However, I loved your response.
Competition, huh? You hit the nail on the head.
Re Mega Millions and Super Lotto Plus....I will let you all know when that happens to me!!!!!
Lots of us would love to hit ONCE !
Proof positive that if it's " your time " it is your time.
...DD
Could be a Lottery Post member using Todds wheels.
Does not say how many tickets were purchased for each draw.
The odds are are almost atronomical...
The odds of winning once are 1 in ...
(31!)/((31-5)!)/(5!)=169,911
So twice in a row is...169,911 x 169,911
28,869,747,921
Hmm...about 1 in 28.87 billion
I don't think is as easy as to say 170,000 X 2...and i disagree...Is a little easy to do it any day after the first win, but VERY hard to do it the following day...
"More Important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet.."..."
His odds of doing that would be one in 29 billion. I'd feel ripped of if I beat such odds and only got 50 grand.
wow.i wish we had a similar matrix here in tennessee...
WTG!!!
The MegaMoney here is 5 numbers. First 4 numbers from 1 to 44 and the MegaBall 1 to 22
Odds are 1:2,986,522 according to the FL web site
Last week there was a news article announcing a woman won it a second time (not in a row, but still, twice with those odds!!) She won $2M on Jan 30 and split a jackpot (winning $320K) in 1998. Maybe I'm playing the wrong game!
But I really think, in most cases, it's just being at the right place at the right time. (they were quick picks)
"The MegaMoney here is 5 numbers. First 4 numbers from 1 to 44 and the MegaBall 1 to 22"
So actually, like PB and MM, it's two lottery gmes in one. If you guess right and get the 4 in the 44 matrix, you still have to have the right MegaBall.
I didn't say it was 170,000 X 2, I said it was 170,000^2. That's 170,000 squared, or 170,000 X 170,000, which is 85,000 times less likely than 170,000 X 2.
It isn't when the two wins happen that determines the odds. It's how many tickets he had and for how many drawings. The probability of two events happening depend on how many events could happen and the chances for each event to happen. If he bought a single ticket every day for 10 days there would be the possibility of winning on any or all of the ten days. The odds against winning on any days 1 and 2 would be 1 in 170,000^2. The odds of winning on days 2 and 3 would also be 1 in 170,000^2, the odds of winning on days 3 and 4 would be 1 in 170,000^2, and so on through days 9 and 10. Each 2 day period would have the same 1 in 170,000^2 odds, but he would have had 9 different chances to win on consecutive days, so the odds would then be 1 in (170,000^2)/9. If he bought tickets every day for 30 days it woud be (170,000^2)/29
That's assuming he only bought one ticket each day. Buying multiple tickets would reduce the odds against winning that day. Buying 2 tickets would make him twice as likely to win, buying 3 tickets would make him three times as likely to win, etc. If he bought 2 tickets the odds for each day woud be 2 in 170,000 or 1 in 85,000. 2 tickets a day for 10 days straight would then be 1 in (85,000^2)/9, or 4 times more likely.
Still, no matter how many tickets he was buying, or how long he'd been buying them, the odds are extremely steep.
The payouts aren't based on winning twice, and two winners on two consecutive days is the norm. Do you think they should pay a lot more to any two people who win on consecutive days?
Calculating odds is a d iverting pastime, and most of us do it. But in the end, it appears that if you are meant to hit, you will, and the odds mean nothing. Even with the 142 million to one PB odds, someone will eventually beat those odds and hit it.
Therefore, I look more at how much I'm spending than what the odds are that I will hit.
It also made news on MSNBC..They also used the word: "Virtually Incalculable..
Here is the site: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17190964/?GT1=9033
KYfloyd, you were right, my bad...
I agree with Prob988..I would be unlucky if i beat those odds and just got 50K...
And i bet that if he bought 2 tickets on day 1 and on day 2 he would have had the same odds as if he had bought it on day 1 and on day 3 or 4 or 5 or any other day that's not consecutive...And that's on of the things i disagree with mathematics, because everyone knows is harder to win a lottery on day 1 and on day 2 (consecutively), than it is to win it on day 1 and on day 3 or any day that's not consecutive...Example..As it happened to you that you win the pick3 one day and win it 5 or 7 days later, but you probably have never won pick3, 2 days in a row or 3 days in a row, why? because is very hard...Is easy to win pick3 one day and win it 15 days later than is to win it consecutively every following day...
This example is one of the small things i don't like about mathematics..Example one of the things i don't like about mathematics, is when geometry texbooks instead of selecting definitions that everyone agree on; they select technical definitions and in the end of the year kids don't recall those technical definitions but instead kids recall definitions that sits well with them...
"More important than winning the state's lotteries is the movie "Red Planet..".."
Strange that you posted this while I was typing. This is what I was writing which sort of agrees with your concept:
Okay, I have another way of looking at the odds here. I know this might sound stupid, but every time I read these posts, I am thinking of each lottery draw as an entirely different game.
So, let's say Sue Jones buys a ticket to a game where the odds are 1:170,000 and she wins.
Then Joe Brown buys a ticket to a game where the odds are 1:170,000 and he wins.
Does the fact that they won change the odds? I don't think so. This is why I am questioning why winning 2 days in a row changes the odds. The odds are 170,000 to 1 for every game. If each game is random, each time you fill out a card you have an equal shot at winning as the other guy, right? Does it make a difference if the guy is you? Why? What if he won and then his wife won or his next door neighbor? Would this have created so much commotion in the news? As Denzel Washington said in the movie Philadelphia "Explain it to me like I'm a 4 year old, okay?"
I think when they say the ods against...." in a case like this the focus is on the odds against the same person hitting, and I think that is actually nore a mystical thing than a mathematical thing.
Consider:
"What are the odds against hitting this jackpot?"
"1:170,000, Sue."
"Yeah, but I hit it last draw, so now what are MY odds?"
EXACTLY, COIN TOSS!!
So is there is difference between odds and chance? I believe "odds" are mathematical statistics. The odds are always 170,000 to one that a person will win this game.
But what are the chances someone will win twice? Very great indeed. 2 consecutive days? Astronomical!
There is another way of looking at it too - as if he is playing 2 different games and won both. So then instead of a game with 31 numbers, for example, there would be 62 numbers. So the odds of getting 10 numbers out of 62 numbers is entirely different than getting 5 out of 31 twice. (no?)
The odds of a jackpot win ON 2 SPECIFIC DRAWINGS (consecutive or otherwise) and BY PLAYING ONLY ONE TICKET each time would be one in 170,000 squared. I THINK it comes to (check my math) 28,900,000,000 (28 BILLION, 900 million!!!) to 1. HOWEVER comma there are ways to reduce the odds! Instead of a specific two drawings, make it over several months or years "any" 2 conecutive (or otherwise) drawings, and instead of "one" ticket each time, make it "100" (or whatever) tickets each time, especially the 2nd time he PROBABLY played more than one! If you figure he could have played one or a few tickets every day for years the odds of it happening become comparable to the odds "only" of being struck by lightning. If you factor in that he could have had a system (they don't specify how he picked the #s), that could further shrink the odds. Then multiply THAT with how many people total are playing the game regularly, and eventually it almost HAS to happen sometime!
I do ***NOT*** recommend moving from that game to Hot Lotto, unless the former is also RNG based. I generally don't recommend ANY games that are RNG.
You can find out on LP which games are ball-drawn and which have computerized drawings. AFAIK all of Minnesota's games are computerized, except of course Powerball.
Wtg...very lucky!
This story and the other stories about people winning twice are the perfect answer to your last question. The odds of winning are always a function of the game's odds and how many tickets you have, and only a function of the game's odds and how many tickets you have. Nothing else matters. Buy a ticket and your odds of winning are exactly the same as the odds for anyone else who buys a ticket. It doesn't matter whether you've never won before, won a few years ago or won the last 5 days in a row. What happened in the past has absolutely no effect on what happens in the next drawing.
The chances of any particular set of numbers coming up on the next drawing are also exactly the same. If there are 170,000 possible combinations, then every combination has a 1 in 170,000 chance of being drawn, whether it's a combination that has never been drawn, one that was drawn a few years ago or the one that was drawn in the previous drawing.
It's not the fact that somebody won before or that a combination was drawn before that makes it extremely unlikely for that person or that combination to repeat. What makes it unlikely is just the high odds for any particular outcome. When there are 170,000 possible outcomes it's 169,999 times more likely that the outcome will be one of any 169,999 possibilities than the 1 remaining possibility.
Look at the Chicago Bulls and the NBA for example...I am sure every team will have the odds of winning the NBA Championship...But what are the odds that one team will win it almost 7 year in a row?That's what make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever..I am sure some teams may come close to getting 7 championships on their lifetime, but no team will win it in a row, that's what make the Chicago Bulls (under MIchael Jordan), the greatest team EVER (which made Michael Jordan the greatest player ever)...What make the Chicago Bulls the greatest thing ever? That they won the NBA championship almost 7 years in a row...If they had won it sporadically they probably wouldn't be considered the greatest team ever...
"Laura Simpson from Great Lakes, Illinois deserves to be rich...." "She is so rare..."
Not at all. You are giving an entirely different example which has nothing to do with luck or chance. When a team wins a championship it takes skill, athletic ability, great coaching and team effort and planning your strategy against the opponents.
KY Floyd
The back to back hits are incredible from a mystical perspective, and I'll still say mathematical, too.
Did everyone who play the first game play the secnd game?
very likely not.
Did people who had not played the first game play the second game?
Very likely yes.
Is this common, same person back to back hits?
Obvipusly not with as many lottery drawings as there have been since New Hampshire started it all.
The ods against a particular set of numbers from drawing to drawing are a constant, true. But this goes beyond that.
pumpi
There are so many factors that go into sports that it is very difficult to name the 'best team ever'. no team can ssume everyone will stay healthy and uninjured over the course of a lenghty season, for one thing.
Years ago there was a softball team named The King (Eddy Feigner) and His Court. They finished most seasons undefeated, and only played with a four man team. Eddy Feigner even pitched blindfolded.
There's a collegiate rugby team, I think it's Univ. of California, that was so strong that opponenets forfeited games instead of showing up to play them.
Granted that was softball and college, but still.
And here's something that the public isn't suppossed to know- an owner would prefer a very close second place finish than a first place finish or even a championship, and here's why - the attendance is up while the pennant race is going on but the ext year he deosn't have players all negotioting their contracts by saying, "I helped get us to the Super Bowl / World Series / title game", etc...
pumpi76... as far as odds and sports team championships, I echo everything else that has been written about teams, coaches, etc.
However as far as your statement that no team will win in 7 years in a row; well it has happend. In fact in a 13 year span (between the 1956-57 and 1968-69 seasons) the Boston Celtics won 11 championships and at one point 11 in a row! That is the defintion of a sports dynasty.
Yes, I was a proud New Englander at the time. Born & raised. The Celtics, The Boston Patriots, The Boston Bruins, The Red Sox. A great town! (Beans or no beans.) Surprised I didn't think of this example. Thanks CALotteryGuy.