Winning the lottery is not easy. So it makes sense to do everything you can to maximise your chances of winning.

That starts with understanding a bit about the different lottery games available. And what is good and bad about them.

So let's get started.

In This Page

Pick 6 Lottery

Pick 6 is one of the most popular lottery games worldwide. Many countries (with a lottery) and most US states have a Pick 6 game.

Out of all types of lottery game Pick 6 offers a good balance of jackpot prize versus odds of winning. That is, the prize is not too small and the odds are not too bad.

Typical jackpots for a Pick 6 game are about $2 million, with odds of around 1 in 13 million. Depending on the specific Pick 6 game the jackpot can get a lot bigger if it isn't won and continues to 'roll over' to the next draw.

Read more in How to win the pick 6 lottery

Pick 5 Lottery

There are 2 types of pick 5 game available - digit based games and number based games. The digit based games draw 5 different numbers each from the range zero to nine (0-9, i.e. single 'digits'), so results will look like e.g. 6 3 7 2 7. For the number based games 5 numbers are drawn, with each typically in the range of something like 1-42, so results look like this: 02 05 09 26 35. The odds and prizes for the two game types are very different. Number based games are often referred to as e.g. 5 from 42 games, meaning 5 balls drawn from the range of 1-42.

Pick 5 games are less common worldwide than Pick 6 but are popular in the USA. The jackpot prizes are usually around $100,000, but can build up to be a lot bigger if nobody wins it for while. So whilst the jackpots are significantly smaller than Pick 6 they can still be big enough. The odds of course are better.

Read more in How to win the pick 5 lottery

Powerball Type Games

Powerball type games have a main draw but then also draw out another ball (or two) from a second set of numbers. This includes games like Mega Millions, EuroMillions and of course Powerball.

Mega Millions for example draws out 5 main numbers from the range 1-70. Then draws out 1 number from the range 1-25, which is called the Mega Ball. You have to match all of these to win the jackpot.

This type of game is extremely popular due to the very large jackpots they create. Unfortunately they also have the worst odds of all lottery games. The jackpots get so big because the games are so hard to win that the jackpot amount keeps rolling over to the next draw.

Read more in How to win the Powerball lottery games

Digit Based Games Like 'Pick 3'

The digit based lottery games are different to the more traditional number based games. The pool of numbers is always 0-9 for each number you can pick. This means that numbers can repeat. So for a Pick 3 game possible results include:-

  • 1 1 5
  • 1 2 0
  • 9 8 3
  • etc

The order of the results do matter. If you choose 1 4 9 and the result drawn is 1 9 4 then you don't win.

However, this type of game also tends to offer other ways to play your numbers ('straight', 'boxed' etc). Playing these options lets you e.g. choose to match all of the digits you picked but in any order. As this is easier to do the prize payout is lower.

Digit Based Games: Pick 5

Digit based Pick 5 games are not very common but they do exist. The jackpot prizes tend to be around $10,000 with odds of 1 in 100,000.

Digit Based Games: Pick 4

Digit based Pick 4 games are common and very popular. The jackpot prizes are small, typically only around $5,000 for a $1 play.

To win Pick 4 you match 4 numbers all from the range of 0-9. The results therefore range from 0 0 0 0 up to 9 9 9 9. Which means there are 10,000 different possible results, making the odds of winning 1 in 10,000.

Read more in How to win Pick 4 lottery

Digit Based Games: Pick 3

Digit based Pick 3 games are even more common and even more popular than Pick 4. The jackpot prizes are very small though, with the most you can win being around $500 for a $1 play.

To win Pick 3 you have to match 3 numbers each from the range of 0-9. The results can therefore range from 0 0 0 up to 9 9 9. This means there are exactly 1,000 different possible results, and the odds of winning are therefore 1 in 1,000.

Digit Based Games: Pick 2

It is rare to find a Pick 2 game but they do exist. The jackpot prizes are very small indeed, usually less than $50 for a $1 play.

General Tips On How To Win

Choose Your Game Carefully

Deciding which game to play is the most important decision you can make. Game choice fundamentally determines your chances of winning. It also determines the size of the jackpot you can win.

Big games like Powerball and Mega Millions have huge jackpot prizes but the odds of winning them are the toughest of all. Similarly Pick 2 is relatively speaking very easy to win, but the best prize you can ever win is tiny.

Don't Play Every Game In Sight

Instead of playing lots of different games, focus on the best games. If you play all sorts of different draw based games and scratch-off tickets, then you spread budget thinly across them all and hurt your overall chances of winning.

Play Less Often But With More Entries

The only thing keeping you playing every single draw is superstition ("what if my numbers come up and I didn't play..."). Instead if you spend the same amount by playing less draws but more entries your chances of winning actually go up. The math proves this to be true.

Play The Less Popular Draws

Some lottery games are drawn twice a week, often on a Saturday and again mid-week. Typically a lot less people play the mid-week draw. This won't affect your chances of winning, but it can mean you get a much bigger share of the jackpot if you do win.

Check Your Ticket!

Every single week tickets are lost, damaged and thrown away by mistake. A lot of prizes go unclaimed as a result. Look after your tickets, and check them promptly after each draw.

Avoid Popular Numbers

A lot of people pick numbers using patterns - everything from birthday dates to making shapes on the play slip. If you play the same way then you will share the jackpot with everyone who picked the same numbers. That can mean a very small share of prize pot.

If you avoid playing too many popular numbers you can avoid sharing with too many other winners on the same day.

Low Budget? Consider A Syndicate

Syndicates are a way to buy a lot more entries without spending more money. Everyone in the syndicate group pools their money together to buy tickets. The winnings are then shared.

Most syndicates are made up of family, friends or work colleagues. But there are companies that run syndicates you can join online (read my lottery syndicate guide here). It's a lot of work to run your own syndicate so this can be preferable.

Questions

What are the most common winning lottery numbers?

The most common winning lottery numbers are the birthday range of numbers. They are most common because using dates is one of the most popular ways to pick numbers. This results in lots of numbers of 31 and below being picked (days of the month), and even more so for number 12 and below (months of the year). It's not however wise to pick numbers this way - here's why.

Do quick picks ever win the lottery?

Yes, quick picks do win the lottery. Lots of people who play quick picks have won the lottery. The number of winners playing quick picks is in line with the percentage of people who play quick picks. Which means quick picks do not help or hurt your chances of winning.

How can I increase my chance of winning the lottery?

You can increase your chance of winning the lottery by choosing which lottery game you play carefully. This will make the biggest difference to your chances.