If I were to pick numbers for a lottery perhaps, would a sequence like that be a bad idea?
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In a lottery, that particular sequence is exactly as likely as any other specific 7-digit sequence.
For instance, the sequence 3-2-0-1-9-5-8 is exactly as likely as the sequence 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. If the lottery number is 7 digits between 0-9, you have 10 options for each number in the sequence, and therefore the total number of possible sequences is 10^(7), or 10 million, and so each of the two sequences above has a 1 in 10 million chance of winning.
If you’re asking: how likely is it that the winning lottery number will be a “meaningful” sequence like 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, as opposed to some meaningless sequence, then the answer is slightly different. Out of all 10 million possible numbers, the vast majority are meaningless to most people. Let’s say there are only 1000 “meaningful” 7-digit sequences out of all 10 million possibilities. Then that means the odds of the winning lottery number being a “meaningful” number are 1 in 10,000.
Wait a minute, doesn’t that contradict what I said earlier? Doesn’t this imply you shouldn’t pick a meaningful number? Well, no. Because while it is more likely that the winning lottery number will be one of the 9,999,000 “meaningless” numbers, there are also 9,999,000 of them. So even though the odds of the number being in the meaningless set are 9999 in 10,000, you have to multiply that by the odds of your number being the winning one within that set, which are 1 in 9,999,000. And 9999/1000 times 1/9,999,000 equals, you guessed it: 1 in 10 million. We can do the same for the meaningful set: the probability that the winning number will be from this set is 1 in 10,000. Given that the winning number is in that set, and that you picked a number from that set, the chance that yours is the winning one is 1 in 1000. 1/10,000 times 1/1000 equals, once again 1 in 10 million.
In a lottery, that particular sequence is exactly as likely as any other specific 7-digit sequence.
For instance, the sequence 3-2-0-1-9-5-8 is exactly as likely as the sequence 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. If the lottery number is 7 digits between 0-9, you have 10 options for each number in the sequence, and therefore the total number of possible sequences is 10^(7), or 10 million, and so each of the two sequences above has a 1 in 10 million chance of winning.
If you’re asking: how likely is it that the winning lottery number will be a “meaningful” sequence like 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, as opposed to some meaningless sequence, then the answer is slightly different. Out of all 10 million possible numbers, the vast majority are meaningless to most people. Let’s say there are only 1000 “meaningful” 7-digit sequences out of all 10 million possibilities. Then that means the odds of the winning lottery number being a “meaningful” number are 1 in 10,000.
Wait a minute, doesn’t that contradict what I said earlier? Doesn’t this imply you shouldn’t pick a meaningful number? Well, no. Because while it is more likely that the winning lottery number will be one of the 9,999,000 “meaningless” numbers, there are also 9,999,000 of them. So even though the odds of the number being in the meaningless set are 9999 in 10,000, you have to multiply that by the odds of your number being the winning one within that set, which are 1 in 9,999,000. And 9999/1000 times 1/9,999,000 equals, you guessed it: 1 in 10 million. We can do the same for the meaningful set: the probability that the winning number will be from this set is 1 in 10,000. Given that the winning number is in that set, and that you picked a number from that set, the chance that yours is the winning one is 1 in 1000. 1/10,000 times 1/1000 equals, once again 1 in 10 million.
In a lottery, that particular sequence is exactly as likely as any other specific 7-digit sequence.
For instance, the sequence 3-2-0-1-9-5-8 is exactly as likely as the sequence 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. If the lottery number is 7 digits between 0-9, you have 10 options for each number in the sequence, and therefore the total number of possible sequences is 10^(7), or 10 million, and so each of the two sequences above has a 1 in 10 million chance of winning.
If you’re asking: how likely is it that the winning lottery number will be a “meaningful” sequence like 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, as opposed to some meaningless sequence, then the answer is slightly different. Out of all 10 million possible numbers, the vast majority are meaningless to most people. Let’s say there are only 1000 “meaningful” 7-digit sequences out of all 10 million possibilities. Then that means the odds of the winning lottery number being a “meaningful” number are 1 in 10,000.
Wait a minute, doesn’t that contradict what I said earlier? Doesn’t this imply you shouldn’t pick a meaningful number? Well, no. Because while it is more likely that the winning lottery number will be one of the 9,999,000 “meaningless” numbers, there are also 9,999,000 of them. So even though the odds of the number being in the meaningless set are 9999 in 10,000, you have to multiply that by the odds of your number being the winning one within that set, which are 1 in 9,999,000. And 9999/1000 times 1/9,999,000 equals, you guessed it: 1 in 10 million. We can do the same for the meaningful set: the probability that the winning number will be from this set is 1 in 10,000. Given that the winning number is in that set, and that you picked a number from that set, the chance that yours is the winning one is 1 in 1000. 1/10,000 times 1/1000 equals, once again 1 in 10 million.
One thing to consider: if two or more people have the winning numbers, then the prize is split. So it’s best to choose numbers that no one else is likely to choose.
One thing to consider: if two or more people have the winning numbers, then the prize is split. So it’s best to choose numbers that no one else is likely to choose.
One thing to consider: if two or more people have the winning numbers, then the prize is split. So it’s best to choose numbers that no one else is likely to choose.
I think you are asking about minimizing the number of winners to share with, not probabilities of the winning numbers,
I guess most people will select something that “looks random”. However I don’t think 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 would be the best option because there is probably someone out there with similar thoughts. I think something like 4,5,6,12,13,14,15 would be a better choice.
I think you are asking about minimizing the number of winners to share with, not probabilities of the winning numbers,
I guess most people will select something that “looks random”. However I don’t think 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 would be the best option because there is probably someone out there with similar thoughts. I think something like 4,5,6,12,13,14,15 would be a better choice.
I think you are asking about minimizing the number of winners to share with, not probabilities of the winning numbers,
I guess most people will select something that “looks random”. However I don’t think 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 would be the best option because there is probably someone out there with similar thoughts. I think something like 4,5,6,12,13,14,15 would be a better choice.
The probability of any 7-digit combination being drawn is equal, be it 1234567 or literally any other combination of 7 numbers.
The small edge you can get in lotteries though is in picking numbers that are seldom selected by other people. That way, if you do win, you won’t have to split the jackpot. This is the only compelling argument to avoiding consecutive sequences or other “popular” combinations (e.g. possible birthdates, well-known sequences, etc).
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