What are the odds of winning the $250m powerball?

randyrohm · Feb 9, 2006

Just bought a $100 worth with my hoops winnings. Would never do this with my paycheck money, maybe that is my weakness, it ia all money. Whatever the odds are I moved the decimal place 2 spots :dancefool

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CapNCash · Feb 9, 2006

I believe it is about 1:130,000,000. Therefore the face value of a $1 ticket is actually about $2 right now(not including taxes and lump sum devaluation). But the higher it gets the less chances there are of winning it, due to similar tickets splitting the jackpot.

j-saul · Feb 9, 2006

Your hoop winning is US$ as is your paycheck $, always remember this!

Insiders · Feb 9, 2006

The odds of winning the PowerBall Jackpot are 1-146,000,000. But Believe it or not its actually an Overlay once it crosses the 146,000,000 mark.

randyrohm · Feb 9, 2006

Thanks Insider, I was hoping I didn't have the worst of it. If I win the Bash will be at the Bellagio :dancefool

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Doug · Feb 9, 2006

I'm insane enough to have done the math before, more as a mental exercise.

It goes something like this... 48 numbers pick 5, for example

48X47X46 X45X44

divide by number of ways that can hit ( don't feel like thinking now).

I got exact number they put in powerball literature doing that, feels good to figure it right.

useful logic , but too much for most sports betting spots, just know what y'all need, but reach back to analyze crazy stuff.

You need to know there are 1024 combos in a 10 teamer, and variations down to 4 in a 2 teamer.

Value of a half point matters.

You don't need to be able to figure lotto odds, but if you can at least try, it's cool.

No penalty for trying.

Doug · Feb 9, 2006

Divide that 48X47 X46 X44 X43 by 120 to get the desired result .

120 because there are 120 ways to arrange the 5 numbers ( order doesn't matter), I get 120 by 5X4X3X2X1

This can be altered to figure picking 6 out of 54, or whatever is the requirement to win.

cincy_ · Feb 9, 2006

There are 55 numbers, and 42 numbers for the extra ball, so it is:

(55 C 5) * (42 C 1)

(if you see a nCr on your calculator, that is the function to use)

so it is

1 in (55*54*53*52*51)*42/(2*3*4*5)

= 1 in 146.11 million

TIGERPAW · Feb 9, 2006

You have to be 80 years olds, loaded and don't give a sh#t thats the people that wins these big powerballs

Insiders · Feb 9, 2006

Chances are much better of being stuck by a meteorite twice, in the parking lot trying to get to your car. Talk about trying to catch lighting in a jug.

Doug · Feb 9, 2006

cincy_ said:
There are 55 numbers, and 42 numbers for the extra ball, so it is:

(55 C 5) * (42 C 1)

(if you see a nCr on your calculator, that is the function to use)

so it is

1 in (55*54*53*52*51)*42/(2*3*4*5)

= 1 in 146.11 million

Math sounds solid to me, I'd expect odds to be about 250mill:1 just eyeballing it and and estimating it in my head, close enough to my instintive estimation.

In other words, you won't be the one.

anxietyattack · Feb 9, 2006

You have a better chance of being raped by a midget Nazi with dreadlocks who speaks Chinese.

Cubsmac · Feb 9, 2006

anxietyattack said:
You have a better chance of being raped by a midget Nazi with dreadlocks who speaks Chinese.

:lolBIG: :lolBIG: :lolBIG:

Wrigley · Feb 9, 2006

Someone has to win

<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Powerball Pays Big - $113.2 Million Jackpot Won in Iowa!</TD></TR><TR><TD>

A Des Moines, Iowa, man started off the New Year with a bang - claiming a $113.2 million Powerball jackpot from the December 14th, 2005, drawing. Hugh Hawkins said he waited for a few weeks after his big win to claim the prize so that he could enjoy the holidays with his family, make plans for what he wanted to do with the money, and identify charities that he could help. Hawkins, 44, was accompanied to the lottery as he claimed his prize by his wife, Cindy, and their children. Hugh chose his winning numbers himself and provided this explanation:

8 is one of his favorite numbers.
15 was the number on his brother’s dirt-racing motorcycle when they were young.
16 is the date of his wife’s birthday.
45 is the age he will be on his next birthday in March.
51 is a number he randomly chose between 45 and 55, the highest number in the Powerball game.
11 is the date of his oldest son’s birthday.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Kabbagecough · Feb 10, 2006

This reminds me of the Golfer Peter Jacobson's answer when asked if Michael Jordan had a chance of making the pro golf tour:

"Michael Jordan will make the PGA Tour when I'm playing center for the Chicago Bulls".

drunkguy · Feb 10, 2006

Insiders said:
The odds of winning the PowerBall Jackpot are 1-146,000,000. But Believe it or not its actually an Overlay once it crosses the 146,000,000 mark.

that is only an overlay if you neglect taxes and/or cash payout

cash amount is close to 1/2 the annuity jackpot, and taxes are about 1/2 of that

so you would need probably close to a $580 mil jackpot to represent a true overlay

SpreadDestroyerr · Feb 10, 2006

You only have to pick FIVE numbers correctly if you're willing to spend 42 bucks. Play 1-42 on the Money Ball. This should help your odds significantly.

TTinCO · Feb 10, 2006

The odds are horrendous, stupidly horrendous. Given that, yes-I'll have 100 tickets. I'm a sucker when it gets over 150 mil.

cincy_ · Feb 10, 2006

Spread Destroyerr said:
You only have to pick FIVE numbers correctly if you're willing to spend 42 bucks. Play 1-42 on the Money Ball. This should help your odds significantly.

Odds?

Think of it this way, if you had EVERY single ticket bought by every single person in every single store in every single city in every single state for the past few drawing, you still would have lost - how is that for odds?