Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!utah-cs!beesvax!denny
From: denny@beesvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.math
Subject: re: lotto odds
Message-ID: <106@beesvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 16-Jun-83 11:31:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: beesvax.106
Posted: Thu Jun 16 11:31:17 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 23:51:16 EDT
Lines: 13

The problem with buying all of the numbers for the lotto game is what happens
if there are multiple winners.  Since the payoff is probably split evenly
among the winners the expected return on the 'investment' is less than you
would think it is.  If there was a way to find out the numbers that are not
played by anyone and purchase these numbers when the jackpot is greater than
$1.9 million, then the odds are in your favor.  The only trick is to obtain
this information.

There was a mention to something similar to this in the math games section
in Scientific American some time ago.  The general idea was to buy 'unpopular'
numbers in a parimutual type state lottery.  The idea of this was that the 
payoff was greater than the odds.  According to the article it is possible
to determine certain numbers that are not played or seldom played.