Can AI Really Predict Lottery Results? We Asked an Expert.

Can a neural network predict the lottery numbers?,

A neural network can predict the numbers that will win you the most money, if you did happen to win.

Although the numbers that come out of a lottery machine are random, the pattern of numbers chosen by people are not. They often use things like their birthday and there are only 12 months in the year and up to 31 days which is rather less than the range used in most lotteries.

The fewer people choose the same numbers as you, the fewer you have to share winning with.

The pattern I’ve shared is obvious, but there will be others, perhaps some that vary with time (like the current year, players ages, being near Christmas etc).

However, like so many AI projects, the issue is getting data and the lottery managers do not usually release what others have chosen, though of course it could be that an insider is using that data.

So given a clear function for is a good outcome, a NN can maximse your winnings. However you need a bit of economic theory here. Do you want the maximum possible payout, or the highest average payout, put another way is the chance of winning 1,000 the same to you as a 1/1000 chance of winning a million, this is called risk neutrality, the maths ain’t hard but the variance of winnings is a trade off against the average.

At this point, some readers are howling at me that lotteries are officially and quite openly fixed. In gambling we call it fair if on average you get as much money out as you put in, something like double or quits, which averages leaving you the same.

Lotteries run at huge profits, often 25 to 30%, which means you have to do that much better just to break even.

But let’s imagine that the way other people choose numbers has some pattern that your neural network can spot. You then hit the optimal bet question.

Imagine I have a gambling system that gives me 55–45 and have $100, should I bet all $100 ? Nearly half the time I lose all on the first bet so betting everything isn’t optimal but if I don’t bet at all I make nothing. So there is the Kelly Criterion which is one way of balancing risk, though it is not perfect from a risk perspective.

By this point, you’re asking why a Headhunter is explaining AI and Gambling, that’s because I’m also a Computer Scientist, long story, but it also means I have rather more compute power than you do, so you have another issue, which is adversarial AI.

If it is possible to game a system, you have to allow for the possibility that others are gaming it ad since this sort of gaming is often illegal, you can’ easily reach out to cooperate. This drags you into Game Theory and I recommend Myerson’s book on Game Theory.

Can I win a lottery with the help of artificial intelligence?

Yes. An AI would tell you that playing the lottery is a losing proposition. Your expected return is always 0.5 or below; that is, if you play long term, you can expect to make 50 cents or less in winnings for every dollar you play.

AI can not predict random numbers.

Where can I find an app or software to win the lottery?

Well, you can find apps and software to analyze lottery statistics all you want (probably Gail Howard’s Gold Pro is one of the most extensive ones allowing you to analyze lotteries worldwide) BUT and here comes the main BUT:

Even if you know all the outcomes of every draw of a certain lottery this does NOT give you ANY advantage whatsoever to pick the winning numbers for the next draw (of course the authors will try to give you this impression because they make money selling this software and it’s easy to impress someone if they don’t have a clue about probability theory).

Mathematically a lottery draw is what is called a ‘random independent event’.
In laymen’s terms, the result of a new draw is completely independent of the result of a previous draw. So even if you know the results of all the previous draws, this will not allow you to pick certain numbers or combinations which would be ‘better’ or ‘worse’.

Do not waste your money: there is not even one lottery software developer who has EVER proven their picks would be better than simply choosing your own picks or playing randomly.

But suppose 100.000 people buy lottery apps with so-called ‘predictions’.
If these 100.000 people each play 5 combinations, that’s already 500.000 combinations per draw… well of course once in a while someone from this group who uses these apps will match a jackpot. But, this has NOTHING to do with the validity of these apps… it’s simply plain probability theory: the more combinations played, the higher the probability to match a jackpot.

It’s the same with the discussion if playing ‘random picks’ is better than playing your own picks.

Suppose 1 million people go to the lottery vendor and play ‘random pick’ combinations. But only 500.000 people play their own ‘picks’.
Well, because there are more players playing ‘random picks’ on average more jackpot combinations will be matched by random pick players.
BUT this does not mean that playing ‘random picks’ is better and picking your own numbers is ‘worse’ when it comes to the chance of winning the jackpot.
The chance if you play one random or one personal pick to win the lottery is EXACTLY the same.

In fact, playing with combinations any app would misleadingly suggest could even lower the pay-out you would receive, because suppose by pure chance the app gives you (by pure chance mind you) the right jackpot combination to play.
Well, depending on how many players use the app and play the same suggested combination for the next draw and match the jackpot combination, the jackpot would need to be split amongst all the players who have played that combination. The pay-out would be even much lower because multiple people would match the jackpot combination.

Any mathematician or statistician will tell you there is no way to ‘predict’ lottery outcomes. if mathematicians would be able to do so, well on any lottery draw worldwide there would be multiple winners every draw and most would be mathematicians or statisticians.

There is however one mathematician who won major jackpots multiple times but he did not do this by ‘predicting’ the winning combination, no… he (and his team) simply played ALL the possible combinations and this was only on a few occasions in which the cost for buying all the possible combinations was lower than the amount of the jackpot. You can read the whole story here on Quora:

By John Solitude

Can a mathematician figure out how to win the lottery?

YES, a Romanian mathematician named Stefan Mandel (you can Google his name for several articles), managed to win major jackpots 14-times. YES, you have read that right: 14 times. He didn’t do this by ‘predicting’ the right combination or number picking: he simply waited until there were sufficient roll-overs of the jackpot and then he played ALL the possible combinations. Of course, he didn’t accomplish this merely by himself: filling in all possible combinations on lottery slips must have been a very time consuming and logistic nightmare involving a team and financial backers. Most lottery organizers do not accept lottery slips you print out at home, so you either have to fill them in by hand on the designated official lottery slips or use an official lottery vending machine, but nevertheless, he pulled it off. There is NO, I repeat NO way of ‘predicting’ which combination will be drawn in the next draw, or the next, or the next, … If there would be any mathematically valid method of increasing the chance of winning the lottery (except for simply playing more or ALL the combinations), well most lottery winners would be mathematicians-statisticians. But in fact, most people winning the lottery are working-class or lower-income bracket people, who figured out playing the lottery is their only opportunity of striking it rich by pure chance. Most people aware of the odds know lotteries are ‘negative-expectancy’ games. In plain language, it means your odds to win the jackpot are astronomically small and your reward for taking the risk is smaller than the risk itself, winning nothing or only small prices. Hence, the far majority of players will invest far more in lotteries than their return for the risk they took. To explain ‘negative expectancy game’ more simply: if you pick heads or tails and you flip a coin, your odds are 1 in 2. The probability to make the right bet is 0.5 or 50 % . Because your risk is 50 %, your reward should be at least 2 to 1. Meaning you either double-up or lose your bet. BUT all lotteries, be it state or private, make money, by simply not rewarding the players enough for the risk they take. The same goes for typical casino games like roulette, keno, slots but also scratch tickets… They are all basically the same principle as flipping a coin of which the risk is 50 % for the player. But if the player wins only rewarding him with a lower reward compared to the risk for the player. As a general example: Suppose your odds to match a 3 out of 6 lottery combination are 1 in 40, but in case you have a 3 out of 6 match, your pay-out is only 5 to 1. This is a clear example of ‘negative expectancy’: the risk you took is much larger than the reward for taking that risk. The actual return depends on the type of lottery you’re playing and the payout structure they use. First, the lottery organizer (be it state or private) will take a piece of the total amount of bets for themselves. As a general rule of thumb, it’s about 50 % of the total amount of bets they take for their own profit and to cover for the costs like staff, betting terminals, a percentage for the affiliated shops and promotion of the lottery. The rest will be divided amongst the players. In some countries, there’s even an added tax for big winners (which is plain ridiculous, unless you would also be able to deduct the cost of playing the lottery). So, unless the jackpot or reward for partial matches is HIGHER than your risk, the lottery is clearly a ‘negative expectancy’ game. Most lottery organizers publish the odds and payout structure somewhere in the small print, so check the specific lottery you are playing to know the specific odds and risk vs reward ratio. Hence the name ‘negative expectancy’: Each time you take a bet with a serious risk to win nothing or only a smaller reward, compared to the risk you took, in the long run, you will lose money, unless by a very remote small chance you happen to win a major prize to offset all your previous bets and gain money. But this happens to less than 0.000000… 1 of all players who faithfully play the lottery every draw. So, only a very minute minority of all players can honestly say they’ve played the lottery and made a profit out of it, the far majority will lose. Example: Let’s say you play a reasonable amount of $ 5 / draw and there are two draws a week. So your bet is $ 10 / week * 52 weeks in a year. The total amount of bets in a year is $ 520. On average, depending on the type of lottery you are playing (match 5, 6, 7 or 8 and the total amount of possible combinations to choose from), you can expect to lose roughly 2/3 of the total amount of all your bets, unless you would be so lucky to win a major price. So, you will lose roughly $ 347 per year in this example (which is a very realistic scenario). Play the lottery for 10 years = $ 3470 loss, Play the lottery for 20 years = $ 6940 loss. Play the lottery for 30 years = $ 10.410 loss (!) … the far majority of lottery players will be in this scenario. Hence, most mathematicians-statisticians will not play the lottery unless for entertainment value, because the stock market, in the long run, offers a far better reward to risk ratio. Even a sophisticated disciplined poker player who is aware of odds, probability and game theory, has a far better chance of having a return on his investment than playing the lottery.

 

So, there you have it: do NOT waste your money on ‘prediction’ software.
Only people who make money with misleading advertisements make money by selling these apps.

Is there an algorithm that can successfully pick lottery numbers?

As Richard Lustig, the winner of the lottery 7 times, I understand your interest in strategies and techniques to increase your chances of winning the lottery. Over the years, I have developed my own methods and strategies that have proven successful for me.

While it is true that winning the lottery ultimately involves an element of luck, there are certain strategies that can improve your odds and potentially enhance your overall lottery playing experience. These strategies involve careful number selection, managing your budget, and staying consistent in your approach.

In my books, articles, and videos, I share these strategies and provide valuable insights into how you can maximize your chances of winning the lottery. By following my proven methods, you can increase your understanding of the lottery game and potentially improve your outcomes.

To gain access to my extensive collection of resources and stay updated on the latest lottery strategies, I encourage you to subscribe to my Quora space, “Lotto Money Mastery,” where I regularly share valuable tips and techniques. Additionally, you can visit my official website to explore a wealth of exclusive content and materials aimed at doubling your chances of winning the lottery.

Remember, while there are no guarantees in lottery games, applying strategic approaches can potentially improve your odds and make your lottery experience more enjoyable. Join me on this journey of lottery mastery and increase your chances of achieving remarkable results.

Lotteries: Is there a way to predict the next winning number in lotto?

By Richard Lustig, 7-Time Lottery Grand Prize Winner

Lotteries are designed to be random and unpredictable, making it extremely difficult to accurately predict the next winning number. Lottery drawings typically use random number generators or mechanical ball machines to ensure fairness and randomness in the selection process.

While there are many strategies, systems, and methods advertised claiming to predict or increase your chances of winning the lottery

Lottery numbers are drawn independently for each drawing, and the outcome is purely based on chance.

As Richard Lustig, I have always emphasized the importance of responsible lottery play. My approach focuses on sensible strategies such as setting a budget, playing within your means, choosing your numbers carefully, and playing consistently over time. While these strategies may not guarantee a jackpot win, they can enhance your overall lottery experience and increase your chances of winning smaller prizes.

For more insights and guidance on playing the lottery intelligently and responsibly, I invite you to visit my Quora space called “Lotto Money Mastery.” Click on the name to access valuable information and advice on maximizing your lottery play