by: Kent Clarke
The problem with selecting lottery numbers is the fact that any regulated lottery result is by definition random, and so any 6 number selections are as likely as any other, no matter what numbers came out last week or the week before. So how can we talk about a 'Winning Lotto Strategy'? Simple - you need to pay attention to the numbers you DON'T choose!
This strange piece of advice is actually entirely logical, because with a bit of straightforward planning, you can ensure that should any of your numbers actually come up, you have minimized the chance that you will have to share the prize with other people. In other words, avoid 'obvious' lottery selections, unless you want to share the prize! By the way, can you guess what the most common lotto entry is? Yep, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Hard to believe, isn't it?! While these numbers are as likely as any other 6 to come up, if they did, the payout per ticket would be tiny, because so many people would be trying to claim a slice of the pie!
So here are some tips to help you make sure that your selections are unique to your ticket, and thus any prize you win will be shared with less people.
Once you've selected 6 numbers, it's a good idea to stick with 'em. They are as likely to win in any week as any other set, and imagine how you would feel if you changed them and then the next week they won! (This has happened by the way).
Finally, if it's a rollover jackpot lotto play, consider buying another ticket (with a seperate set of numbers, of course!). The most interesting case is when the prize is more than the odds of winning x ticket price (in the UK, a jackpot of £13 million or more). You could in theory guarantee a win by buying EVERY combination of tickets, although you would almost certainly have to share the lottery jackpot with someone!