Question When looking at the probability of picking numbers for the lottery is there any statistical difference between using a specific set of numbers repetitively and without deviation as opposed to choosing new numbers at each drawing? It seems to me if you choose new numbers each time you reset the 1 in x probability of those number winning. Where as, if you use the same numbers you continue the progression of the 1 in x odds of winning. So if a contest has a 1 in 13,000,000 chance of winning if you could play every game for 13,000,000 consecutives weeks you would statistically win at least once. But if you change the numbers at each game you could play 13,000,000 times and statistically still not hit the numbers.
Answer randall -
it makes no difference what system you use to pick numbers from week to week.
if you play for 13,000,000 weeks using any system, you can expect to win once.
that you can EXPECT to win once doesn't mean you actually will win once. you
may not win at all, or you may win twice, or three times, etc. its like tossing
a fair coin twice (to take a smaller example) - you expect to see one head among
the two tosses - but you could see none - or two. the lottery is just a (much)
bigger version of that simple "game".
