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.