A Non-Political Appeal

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Bob Juch
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#26 Post by Bob Juch » Sat Oct 20, 2018 8:39 am

silverscreenselect wrote:
littlebeast13 wrote:
Estonut wrote:That doesn't sound right. If the winning numbers are random (as advertised), then any combination of numbers is just as likely as any other to match the selected winners. Since many people who pick their numbers pick birthdays, you might be more likely to have multiple winners with low numbers. I believe the vast majority of buyers use the quick pick option, though.
Any winning drawing that is ALL numbers 31 and below is significantly more likely to match a winning ticket due to this phenomenon. Maybe not as likely as in the prehistoric lottery days of most players filling out scan trons, but still, a combination like 4, 7, 9, 15, 21, 25 is much more likely to hit a winning ticket since those numbers are all picked by players more often than, say, 10, 23, 33, 42, 55, 58....

lb13
Many casual players take quick picks and those numbers are randomly scattered. Keep in mind, though, that there are 302 million possible combinations, so even with quick picks, a lot of combinations will still be uncovered (although significantly fewer at the next drawing because of the considerably larger total number of tickets sold).

Any combination of numbers is as likely to hit as any other, but if you have two, three, or more times as many tickets sold with low numbers, even with overlaps, then more low number combinations will be covered than high number combinations, and the chances of a winner not being picked are much higher for high number combinations than for low ones.

Regular players often pick their "lucky" numbers, and they are often birthdays or other low numbers. Some of them are actually afraid of their quick pick for one drawing winning the next one and them not having those numbers, so they "protect" themselves by playing the same numbers all the time (in most states you can buy tickets for multiple drawings using the same numbers at one time). If we do get a bunch of low numbers in the next drawing, it's likely there will be more than one winner.

If the numbers 1-2-3-4-5 were ever to hit as the white ball numbers, you would have hundreds of winning tickets.
The self-service machines we have here allow you to pick the same numbers again after scanning a previous drawing's ticket.

I've been buying tickets at my wife's request. I know the odds. I'm way ahead though; I won $5000 years ago and haven't spent even $1000 since then.
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silverscreenselect
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#27 Post by silverscreenselect » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:35 am

And, if you don't win the Mega Millions, the Powerball is up to $600+ million with no winner last night. We're in uncharted territories here.
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Beebs52
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#28 Post by Beebs52 » Tue Oct 23, 2018 2:57 pm

You're welcome. We've done our small part.
Well, then

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themanintheseersuckersuit
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#29 Post by themanintheseersuckersuit » Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:09 am

It's not me
Suitguy is not bitter.

feels he represents the many educated and rational onlookers who believe that the hysterical denouncement of lay scepticism is both unwarranted and counter-productive

The problem, then, is that such calls do not address an opposition audience so much as they signal virtue. They talk past those who need convincing. They ignore actual facts and counterargument. And they are irreparably smug.

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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#30 Post by BackInTex » Wed Oct 24, 2018 8:59 am

themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:It's not me
Oh sure, like you'd admit it if it was you.
..what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? let them take arms.
~~ Thomas Jefferson

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silverscreenselect
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#31 Post by silverscreenselect » Wed Oct 24, 2018 9:05 am

BackInTex wrote:
themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:It's not me
Oh sure, like you'd admit it if it was you.
Well, you both have another chance tonight for $600 million.

And for those interested, Friday night's drawing (the $1 billion jackpot that rolled over) had about 70% of the possible combinations covered. Last night, it was about 90%, meaning that there was still a realistic chance of this jackpot rolling over.
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BackInTex
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Re: A Non-Political Appeal

#32 Post by BackInTex » Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:13 am

silverscreenselect wrote:
BackInTex wrote:
themanintheseersuckersuit wrote:It's not me
Oh sure, like you'd admit it if it was you.
Well, you both have another chance tonight for $600 million.

And for those interested, Friday night's drawing (the $1 billion jackpot that rolled over) had about 70% of the possible combinations covered. Last night, it was about 90%, meaning that there was still a realistic chance of this jackpot rolling over.
I can't buy one from where I'm at. I'll have to hope for another rollover and buy one when I get back to the states.
..what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? let them take arms.
~~ Thomas Jefferson

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