What are the odds of winning the lottery?

Answer 1

Whew....pay close attention to this answer because there are some other misleading ones on this page.

If you are trying to determine the odds of winning on a scratch off lottery ticket, the overall odds will be posted on the back side of the ticket as several other people have posted. You can also consult your state's lottery website for more specific information about the odds for winning a specific dollar amount on a ticket and usually the number of remaining tickets left with each prize value.

I am assuming however that your question is trying to determine the odds of hitting a lotto jackpot. Assuming you are playing a standard lottery (6 numbers) and not a pick three or pick four type game, or a game that requires a separate pick such as powerball, then the odds will be directly dependant on the number of numbers you have to pick from. The Florida state lottery for instance has 53 numbers to choose from and has odds of winning the jackpot of 1:22,957,480. To contrast, the Indiana state lottery has only 48 possible numbers to pick from and has odds of winning the jackpot of 1:12,271,512.

These odds are a little bit better than the one in 5 billion gazillion that other answerers have posted but they are still not great. Also, your odds of winning are not affected in any way shape or form by the number of other people that are playing the game. The only thing that might affect is the amount that you receive as a payout if more than one person has the same winning numbers. However, not too much to worry about there, because the odds of that happening are even less than winning the jackpot in the first place.

In any case, best of luck to you in winning, and you can feel free to mail me a small portion of your winnings when you hit. :)

Answer 2

Of course the odds are very slim. Can you count how many people you know personally who have received top lottery prizes, say over $100,000. Probably not a single one.

That being said, someone wins the lottery every day. There are over 300,000,000 in the US and most states now have the lottery and play probably twice a week. Each lottery probably pays out three times per year, so lets just say 100 prizes a year. Therefore the real odds of you winning are closer to 3,000,000 to 1 of winning a prize this year!

Not bad! Sell the farm! Buy all lottery tickets!

Answer 3

Depends on the State, the game, all kinds of things. Including what you call "winning." Do you call paying for a $1 ticket and getting that $1 back winning? Perhaps you mean daily numbers or the pick 6 or even the Powerball. If you go daily number it gets even rarer to win. If you go tickets and call breaking even winning then the odds are pretty good. Honestly though most tell you the odds on scratch off and I don't do lotto numbers so not sure how good their odds are. I will tell you that they aren't good though.
I think the best was on the show The Pretender where Jarod told the woman that her chances of hitting the lottery were as good as the chances of lightening hitting a submarine.

Answer 4

Depends on the game, and how it's played.

In a typical 6/49 lottery, the odds are one in approximately 14 Million.

Answer 5

If the numbers run from 1 to 50, and you must get 6 of 6 numbers correct, the odds are:

50 x 49 x 48 x 47 x 46 x 45 = 11,441,304,000 to 1

Answer 6

It depends on which lottery but most have the odds written on the back of the ticket.

Answer 7

The odds would depend on several key factors. One would be how many correct numbers you need to choose. Another would be how many choices of numbers there are. Another factor is if there is another separate number that needs to be selected (such as in Powerball or Megamillions).

In short, with no extra ball, the number of different combinations would be found by multiplying the highest numbered ball, by the next highest one and so forth for each number to be select. For example, if you need to choose 5 numbers from balls numbered 1 to 50 you would do:
50x49x48x47x46.

You would need to multiply that number by the number of choices for the extra ball in a Powerball type.

Your odds are 1 in the resulting number.

Answer 8

i remember reading on space.com that the odds of the earth being knocked out of orbit is better than the odds of winning the lottery

Answer 9

ok there is no chance its like 100,00,000 out of 1 winning the lottery is not easy there is thousands and thousands of people who play the lottery u could have a chance but the one who does had a luckey,lukey chance.

Answer 10

The odds are 50 / 50. Either you win or you don't.