Lottery

Introduction

Lotteries have served as a significant source of funding for government initiatives for centuries. In fact, they date back over 2,000 years in China, where they've helped finance projects like the Great Wall. The regulations governing lotteries can greatly differ across regions, with some areas recognizing them as the sole legal form of gambling.

While there are numerous methods to engage with the lottery and jackpot amounts have soared into the billions, at their core, these games essentially resemble a 50/50 raffle. This means that half of the revenue from ticket sales is allocated to funding governmental projects or special initiatives, while the other half is divided among the winners.

There’s an abundance of information on lotteries that can't be captured on a single page. For now, this main lottery section acts as a hub for various resources related to different lottery games.

Advice

The lottery is pretty much a game of luck but there are some ways to improve your odds. Here is my general advice for all lotteries.

• Don’t Engage: Generally speaking, with only a few exceptions, lotteries are a poor choice for betting. The house edge in most games hovers around 50%. If you choose to participate, do so sparingly.
• Opt for the Quick Pick Option: If you’re involved in number-selecting games, it’s best not to choose the numbers manually. Humans tend to be bad at picking truly random numbers. If you choose your own and manage to hit the jackpot, there’s a high likelihood that many others have selected the same numbers for similar reasons. Your chances improve significantly by allowing the computer to generate random numbers via the Quick Pick option.
• Try Scratch Cards: Typically, scratch cards provide better value compared to number selection games. With a $1 wager, scratch cards offer about a 60% return, versus a 50% return for games based on number choices. As you increase your bet, the expected return on scratch cards also increases.
• Steer Clear of Branded Games: It’s advisable not to play any scratch card games that are trademarked. Similar to slot machines, the trademark owner will usually take a portion of the profits, which will impact the player’s share rather than the state's earnings. This portion can be significant, often around 6% of total ticket sales.
• Utilize Card Counting: The same principles that make card counting effective in blackjack can also apply to many scratch card games. Numerous lotteries provide information on the number of unclaimed tickets for their active games. For instance, this is a page from the Texas Lottery. Your odds improve if there's a high percentage of unclaimed major prizes compared to the smaller ones. Compare different games to find one that offers the most substantial unclaimed winnings. Mustache Money — Assess the odds for Powerball or similar lotteries featuring five 'white balls' and one 'Power Ball.'

Lotteries

• California Lottery
• Florida Lottery
• Texas Lottery
• Easy Lotto

Games

• Powerball
• Mega Millions

Calculators

• Powerball calculator — Determine the odds for the Mega Millions or any lottery with five 'white balls' and one 'Mega Ball.'
• Mega Millions calculator — Calculate the odds for any game that involves a 'pick six' format.
• Pick Six calculator — Estimate ticket sales and the likelihood of winning for any Power Ball and Mega Millions jackpot size.
• SuperLotto Plus — California Lottery game.
• Calculator for Estimating Lottery Jackpot Ticket Sales - A detailed examination of ticket sales, winnings distributed, and player returns for each state in the United States that has a lottery system.

Related Reading

• Buy Lotto Online in 2025
• The Lottery Sucks - Is there a trend where states with better lottery payouts also experience higher losses per capita compared to those with lower returns?
• Are Lottery Players Smart? The Lottery is Disappointing - An In-Depth Lottery Analysis
• COVID and the Lottery
• Previous queries directed to Ask the Wizard regarding the lottery
• The Lottery (Still) Sucks!
• Can a Jackpot Become So Massive That the Lottery Transforms into a ‘+EV’ Opportunity?

External Links

• — An article featuring my insights, available at lotterygeeks.com. Accurate mathematical strategies and insights for casino games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and many others that you can enjoy.

Written by: Michael Shackleford