A Mock Drawing Shows How The Odds Are Played Out In The Ball Machine As A Drawing Takes Place
When it comes to playing the lottery, there are two general rules to follow which can help you increase your opportunities of winning. You learned the first rule when you read about odd and even number types:"The more you balance your number combinations using odd and even numbers, the more you automatically play the types of number combinations which are being drawn the most.". The second rule is: "The more you balance your number combinations using numbers across the full range of numbers in the game, the more you play the types of number combinations which are being drawn the most." Feel very free to combine both rules! Let's illustrate this second rule with another mock drawing. We'll form three number groups from all the numbers in a game. For identification purposes, we'll color the balls the same in each group; RED for the first group; WHITE for the second group; and BLUE for the third group. We will be more concerned with the color of the ball drawn than the number on the ball. We'll use a 5 of 26 game for our example. Breaking down the numbers as evenly as possible, we have: 8 numbers in the first group (01-08) 9 numbers in the second group (09-17) 9 numbers in the third group (18-26)
INSIDE THE BALL MACHINE
Before the first ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 8 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 0 - 0 - 0 Which group(s) have slightly better odds of having a ball drawn? In this particular game, it starts out that the WHITE and the BLUE groups have equal chances of having a ball drawn. And, they both have more chances (odds) than the RED group. A ball is going to be drawn from one of these three groups, so we would have to say the odds favor a ball being drawn from either the WHITE or BLUE groups because there are more balls in each of these two groups. Going against the odds, we allow the first ball to be drawn from the RED group. After the first ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 7 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 1 - 0 - 0 The odds just got better for the WHITE and BLUE groups because the odds have dropped for the RED group. There are now only 7 ways for it to happen with the RED group and 18 ways for it to happen with the WHITE and BLUE groups. So far, we have (1 - 0 - 0) one for the red and 0 for the other two groups. Certainly the odds are even greater against it happening from the RED group, but still, going against the odds, another ball is drawn from the RED group. After the second ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 6 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 2 - 0 - 0 There are now 3 more WHITE balls than RED and 3 more BLUE balls than RED. Now, it's (2 - 0 - 0). No balance at this point. You can see that the odds are well against it at this point, but another RED ball is drawn. After the third ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 5 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 3 - 0 - 0 It's now (3 - 0 - 0). A high degree of imbalance is taking place and we can see it is going against the odds for this to happen. Physically, bouncing around and getting in the way, there are 4 more WHITE balls than RED and 4 more BLUE balls than RED. One of the 18 WHITE or BLUE balls has a significant edge over the 5 RED balls. You know, that for emphasis, we are going to go against the odds again and allow yet another RED ball to be drawn. After the fourth ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 4 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 4 - 0 - 0 Now it's (4 - 0 - 0) for the RED. You should be getting the idea that this scenario is not a likely possibility. Possible, but not probable! An even higher unlikely event is that another RED ball is drawn. But, it happens again. After the fifth ball is drawn: Balls Per Group Red White Blue 01-08 09-17 18-26 3 9 9 Combination Drawn Format: 5 - 0 - 0 It ended up being (5 - 0 - 0). All RED balls, no WHITE balls and no BLUE balls. Totally unbalanced and totally against the odds. If you were to see this happen with some kind of high degree of regularity, surely you would think that there was something wrong in Denmark! Well, maybe not Denmark. Maybe a little closer to home!
Yikes! If this has happened in your state, don't start calling the Lottery. It should happen, but not very often at all. On the other hand, if it has happened quite often in your state, go ahead, make the call, and make 'em squirm!... :) ....... Let me put you all at ease, it hasn't happened out of turn in any lottery game in the country. In this particular game it should happen once every 1175 drawings. At the time of this writing this game had been played 582 times and it hadn't happened yet. As you have just seen, a number combination using only the first 1/3 of the numbers in the game is highly unlikely to be drawn compared to other types. A more probable type of number combination would be one which is more evenly balanced across the range of numbers in the game, such as (1-2-2), (2-1-2) or (2-2-1) in a 5 number game or (2-2-2), (2-3-1), (3-2-1) etc. in a 6 number game. Certainly not a (5-0-0) or a (6-0-0)!! As an example, the (2-2-2) type of number combination is typically drawn over 100 times for each 1 time a (6-0-0) is drawn!! Which type would you rather be playing on any given night? The one more likely to be drawn, of course! And certainly, a Quick Pick does not differentiate between types! There are 21 different ways 5 numbers can be drawn from 3 different number groups (Formats). In a 6 number game there are 28 different ways. Very important to remember is that all number combinations grouped this way are based on their odds of being drawn as you have just seen in this mock drawing. Guess what. By calculating how many number combinations are possible for each of these different types, we can see precisely what the odds are for each type to be drawn on any given night. These Odds are shown in our exclusive Calculated Results Tables.