The Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots are moving on up. Tonight you have a shot at a $345 million Mega Millions jackpot, with an estimated $205.3 cash value. On Saturday, you have a chance to score a $455 million Powerball jackpot, with an estimated $269.4 million cash value.
As the jackpots grow, so does the excitement. But understanding how odds and randomness work will help keep games of chance fun. Test your draw game knowledge and decide whether the following statements are myths or facts:
The smaller the jackpot, the better the odds.
Myth. The odds for each jackpot game remain constant, regardless of the jackpot size or how many other people play. For example, there are nine ways to win playing Powerball and they each have their own odds. The overall odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338, but the overall odds of matching the red Powerball and no white balls are one in 38.
Picking your own numbers gives you a better chance at winning.
Myth. What do favorite numbers, lucky numbers, or random numbers all have in common? They are just numbers. Seriously, that’s it. While it might be fun to pick your own numbers based upon family birthdays or other lucky dates, it won’t increase your chances of winning. Sure. We have had winners who picked their own numbers. But we also have had winners who used Quick Pick. Whether you choose your own numbers, or decide to quick pick, your chances of winning a prize stay the same.
‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ numbers make a difference.
Myth. Say the red Powerball was nine in the last drawing and 22 in the drawing before. Does it mean those numbers are hot? No. There is no such thing as hot or cold numbers in lottery games. Lottery drawings are completely random events and previous results have no bearing on future drawing outcomes. This means that for every lottery drawing, each number has an equal chance of being drawn and every set of numbers has the same chance of winning.
You can control the outcome.
Myth. It is impossible to control the outcome of a game. Wearing your favorite shirt, or holding onto your favorite coin will not give you more luck. While they might be fun ways to show your excitement, they do not change the outcome of the draw.
You can’t choose the odds for a particular game. But you can choose to be informed on how odds and probability work, and we want everyone to have that information! That’s why we share information on odds and how to play for all of our games on our website. So before you play, check out the odds of winning a prize playing Powerball here and the odds of winning playing Mega Millions here.
Remember, it just takes one ticket to win. Have fun, and good luck!
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