Hey DGX: Play The Worst Game In The World Without Losing All Your Money

[DemonGeminiX]

Powerball:

Choose 5 numbers from 1 to 59 with no replacement and order is not important, + choose 1 number from a seperate 1 to 35.

C(n,r)= n!/(r! * (n-r)!)

There are C(59,5) ways to pick the first 5 numbers or 5006386 ways.

There are C(35,1) ways to pick the Powerball or 35 ways.

So 5006386*35 = 175,223,510 possible Powerball numbers.

[DemonGeminiX]

Mega Millions:

Choose 5 from 1 to 56 without replacement and order is not important and then choose 1 from a separate 1 to 46.

There are 175,711,536 possible Mega Millions numbers.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Powerball:

So 5006386*35 = 175,223,510 possible Powerball numbers.

Mega Millions:

There are 175,711,536 possible Mega Millions numbers.

And yet Mega Millions seems to get hit more often....how odd

[DemonGeminiX]

People would rather play $1 per play than $2.

[Hal-9000]

why did I think that Powerball had 3 numbers? I must have been thinking about something else..


thanks DGX, too many permutations to cover

[DemonGeminiX]

There was no winner in the Powerball last night. Wednesday's jackpot is now up to $400 million.

[deebakes]

i'll probably buy a ticket

[DemonGeminiX]

For a shot at $400 million? Why not? The probability is really small, but there's still a chance. Maybe it'll be your (or my) lucky day.

[Hal-9000]

we bought a ticket with a large group at work...25 of us, first and only time. I heard on the radio on the way to work that a group ticket bought in Alberta won 25 million...

it was members of an oil company up north

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/11...n_2073653.html

[Hal-9000]

also...

The two largest Lotto 6-49 jackpots – $54.3 million in 2005 and $49.8 million in 2009 – were also purchased in Alberta

[Teh One Who Knocks]

For a shot at $400 million? Why not? The probability is really small, but there's still a chance. Maybe it'll be your (or my) lucky day.

Exactly....what is worse than 176 million to 1 odds? 176 million to 0. You can't win if you don't play.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Bought our tix yesterday for this Wednesday's draw

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Jackpot now estimated to be $425 million for tonite's draw

[DemonGeminiX]

I still need to go grab my tickets. Maybe I should run and do that. I've got other errands to run anyway. I'll be back later.

[DemonGeminiX]

Winning numbers:

5-25-30-58-59 with Powerball 32

I didn't win.