The Lure Of The Lotto

By Author: Casey Schneider
Total Articles: 3
Comment this article

Everybody dreams of one day striking it rich. Getting the winning combination on a lotto draw. And if you enter your chance is as good as anyone else's.

Just how good is one's chance anyway? Well that depends on the number of lines in the Lotto.

If there are 25 numbers and the winner is has to get 4 numbers the chances are 1 / 25x24x23x22 or 1 chance in 303,300. If one has to get 5 then it becomes 1 chance in 6,375,600

In other words the more number there are on the card and the number the winning card has to select makes the odds against winning ever smaller. Take the National Canadian Lottery 6 from 49. To win the main Jackpot the winners must select 6 numbers from 49 on the card. If one calculates the odds the are in fact astronomical : 1 chance in 100,618,347,520, which is of course why it rolls over so often. There are of course bonus balls and lesser prizes to be won but one cannot bank on winning a lottery, it is pure chance.

That being said someone has to win and every entry has exactly the same chance as every other entry.

There are many people who claim to have a strategy for reducing ...
... the odds. If the lottery is honest, as one must assume the National Lottery to be, then no strategy can affect which balls emerge and consequently they are trying a scam. On the subject of scams bear in mind that if someone writes to you explaining how they have a awarded you a prize if you would please pay xyz. DO not believe them.

YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU HAVEN'T BOUGHT A TICKET!

Another thing about Lotteries. There is no progression of chances. Just because a number has come up more often than another number there is no decrease in the chance that it won't come up again. Although counter intuitive, every lottery draw starts with exactly the same chances of each ball emerging. After they are dropped into the barrel and bounce around for a while the chance of any number emerging first is ALWAYS 1 out of 49 then 1 out of 48 then 1 out of 47 and so on.

So good luck with the lottery and remember you have as much chance as anyone else.

At Canadian Contests one finds a single site on which one can access all the Lottery, sweepstake and other competitions that are available within Canada. As well as some that are available in both Canada and the USA.

This is site worth bookmarking and coming back to often as many of these prizes and giveaways are only available if one enters. You cannot win if you are not in the race. In addition there are a number of Surveys which offer rewards to their participants. This could be money for old rope as you have your opinions and your experiences and there are many market research companies that urgently wish to interview you.

Canadian Contests is an information site providing access to most of the competitions available in Canada.