Powerball

[BTExpress]

It's been a long time since I got a C- in AP Statistics, but I'm pretty sure your odds of winning powerball with a single ticket remain the same with each draw.

Sure, your odds are the same EACH DRAWING.

But over 520 drawings in a 10-year period, the odds of winning once are better than the odds of winning one particular drawing.

 

[doctorquant]

It's been a long time since I got a C- in AP Statistics, but I'm pretty sure your odds of winning powerball with a single ticket remain the same with each draw.

BTE beat me to it.

 

[SnarkShark]

If you flip a coin 520 times your odds don't change each time you flip it.

 

[franticscribe]

Jackpot jumped to $800 million this morning. This thing is going to break a billion by the time they have the drawing.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Awesome. I want to see SnarkShark and DQ throw down in a stats discussion.

 

[doctorquant]

If you flip a coin 520 times your odds don't change each time you flip it.

You seem to be missing the point. The "asteroid" and the "lightning" odds are lifetime odds. The lottery odds are for a single play. As they're presented, it's not a valid comparison.

 

[swingline]

Which would give you stronger super powers, being hit by a tiny asteroid that has special space voodoo, or winning the lottery?

 

[JC]

Awesome. I want to see SnarkShark and DQ throw down in a stats discussion.

I hear Devil's good with statistics, invite him to join.

 

[SnarkShark]

You seem to be missing the point. The "asteroid" and the "lightning" odds are lifetime odds. The lottery odds are for a single play. As they're presented, it's not a valid comparison.

I get it. If you're playing every time they draw, of course you have better odds of winning once as opposed to not playing every time.

 

[SnarkShark]

Awesome. I want to see SnarkShark and DQ throw down in a stats discussion.

Maybe you should go back to pondering the true meaning of "Once you go black" jokes.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

Do new lottery players who start playing when there's a big drawing like this sometimes became regular players when they learn about all the other games state lotteries have like instant tickets, daily numbers, etc.?
I used to go to a store that did a lot of lottery business. On Thursdays and Fridays, you'd trip over all the people playing scratch tickets. It was a small, local store that I think depended on it and they seemed to go out of their way to prioritize lottery customers over everyone else.
Once there was a really big drawing for Powerball or one of the other big games. The day after it was won, the place was just as busy as ever. It made me wonder if serious lottery players look at the big jackpots the same way serious drunks look at New Year's Eve, as amateur hour.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Your snark is awfully lacking for someone who puts it in his name.