So if I took $500,000 cash & immediately put it

[Chili]

That's the easy part. You also have to take into account all the non-jackpot winnings: 3 numbers, 4 numbers, etc.Why the fuck would you play the same combinations more than once? If you hit the jackpot with 3 tickets, you get to split the jackpot 3 ways, with yourself.

I agree, just pointing out that to insure that you got all unique combinations on your tickets you could not rely on quick pick. Therefore you would have to fill out 500,000 slips.

And yes, QP duplicates combinations, that's why you see multiple people winning the jackpot. Granted, it may not happen very often, but it would still decrease your odds.

[Grape]

Rob Dyrdek proved this theory doesn't work, just like the don't buy gas for a day thing

[Wicked98Snake]

Don't get me wrong, if I had $500K in disposable cash, one of the first things I'd do is hit up the RaceTrac and unload it on the lotto.I'd just like to hear other people's opinions on how they can increase their wealth with a measly half-mill.

And I'm sure I'd be behind you in line trying to buy gas, lol.

[Chili]

Rob Dyrdek proved this theory doesn't work, just like the don't buy gas for a day thing

Has he validated the plane on a conveyer belt answer yet?

[War Machine]

Every night before the drawing, I figure out how much I will win after taxes, what houses Im going to buy, how many exotic cars I will need, pick out all the rolexes Im getting, and how Im going to sneak out of the house and leave my ol lady as soon as I win. I might even insult her before leaving, Im not sure yet.

I get let down all the time, but I know Im due to win anytime now....

[motoman]

Has he validated the plane on a conveyer belt answer yet?

That's next weeks episode.

[Nash B.]

your odds of winning are exponentially higher if you buy one ticket than if you buy zero tickets...

Infinitely higher, even...

[Cooter]

Infinitely higher, even...

a bunch of that too

[Snatch Napkin]

I have to admit, I understand the odds but I still buy a lotto ticket every now and then. I'd just have to accept getting paid in Cali IOUs if I won.

You can't seriously be playing the California Lottery...

[BERNIE MOSFET]

Only if you're going in a sequential order of some sort. Do you know the coding that dictates what quick pick values you get? I sure as he'll don't, and I would know you have alot more variable to consider when looking at duplicate numbers versus lotto odds.

I've given some thought to this, so maybe you or gear99 can help me out if I'm missing something. Given a truly random generation of numbers, you have a 1:52ish chance of selecting the same set of numbers in 500,000 attempts. You also have a 1:52ish chance of selecting the same set of numbers in 499,999 attempts. Because the probability of selecting the same set of numbers twice in a row is so remote, you could conceivably consider the first two - and the following 50 attempts as separate trials in and of themselves such that the odds of selecting one of the first 52 sets of numbers twice in 500,000 attempts approaches 1:1. You'd expect a second duplicate out of the next 52 numbers as well, and so on.

If you do this throughout the 500,000 trials, where as you approach the 500,000th attempt the probability of duplicating a number diminishes, you'd expect to see 4,840 duplicates. If the number selection isn't uniformly random, then it gets messy and the duplicates go up enormously - which is what your point is. I'm sure I'd use a non-uniform random variable for the number generator just to screw with someone who might buy more than a couple dozen lotto tickets.

[Zfan]

500K, just give it to me and bend over, I'll kick you in the ass so you can get a real feel for your chances of winning.