Can Lotto Predictions Help You Win The Lottery?

We are going to let you know some of the most common lottery numbers chosen for various different lotteries. But a Warning! Sometimes trying to predict lottery numbers can actually cause you to win LESS! Read on to find out why.

Can You Predict The lottery?

Well, can we? Brazilian mathematician Renato Gianella says so. He conducted extensive research on 20 lotteries, and applied a range of complicated mathematical equations and statistical analysis to each individual draw.

From that he concluded that some combinations are more likely than others and compiled his findings in a colour coordinated chart. Mr Gianella said, "(the) lottery should no longer be seen as a form of a gambling, but a true representation of the probabilistic theory and the Law of Large Numbers."

Sadly, this is not a workable lottery predictor, as the analysis only works when applied over a long period of time. So, despite Renato's best efforts, we still don't have a sure-fire way of getting those lottery number predictions for this week, but at least we have a tangible way of improving our odds in the long term…

The Best Numbers

The number 16 ranks as the number most drawn in SA Lotto. Along with this you’ll find 30, 8, 2, 23 and 48 have also featured on draws often; up to 20 times more than other digits. Of course an SA Lotto win also requires a Bonus ball and the numbers most commonly drawn are 10, 48, 16 and 32.

48 was once again drawn in the past week so if you used this information to pick your numbers recently it could have meant a win for you.

Of course it’s pure coincidence that 16 and 48 are found at the top of both these lists at the moment. Each new draw changes the statistics and there’s not telling which numbers will come out on top next.

Considering its track record we can predict this lucky combo might keep up its habit of paying out. Sadly, the odds of that combo ever appearing again is just the same.

The same goes for the combination of numbers shown on the infographic above. Although those six numbers have appeared most often in six popular lotteries, that doesn't mean that they are any more likely to be drawn out next time around. 

The Magic Touch

In 2009 Derren Brown hosted a live show in tandem with the UK lottery draw, where he announced to viewers that he was going to try and predict the outcome of that night's events. Brown correctly predicted 6 numbers, and in a relieved fashion, announced that it was the culmination of a year of hard work.

His explanation, which went down like a tonne of bricks, was that he quite simply asked 24 people to predict 6 numbers, then he added up the total for each one, divided it by 24 and voila, somehow that led him to predict the lottery…

The papers were littered with outraged mathematicians and statisticians who debunked Brown's explanation. The more popular suggestion was fancy camera tricks.

If Breaking the Magician's Code taught us anything, the magic is tricking the audience, not defying the laws of the universe.

Overdue Numbers

"They have to come up eventually." The law of averages does indeed suggest that long overdue numbers must turn up at some point, after all their chances of tumbling out the machine are no different to any of the others.

Of course the flip side to this is that your carefully selected overdue number is no more likely to be drawn than any other, even if it hasn't been seen for a long time. It's human nature to believe otherwise, but the simple fact is that previous draws have no impact whatsoever on the one to follow. 

Don't Buy What They're Selling

Any idle search for lottery info will result in a whole load of websites that claim they can predict numbers that will be picked from the next draw, and all you have to do is pay R200 on their tell-all book!

Great! A R20 stake for a guaranteed million pound pay off, sign me up. But wait a second… why are they flogging a book and not soaking up the sun on their luxury yacht?

Yes, it's a scam.  

1,2,3,4,5,6

While we can't predict when 1,2,3,4,5,6 will be drawn, what we can predict his how little that pick would pay out! An estimated 10,000 people pick those numbers a week, so a top prize of R5 million would give each winner just R500. 

If you're a serial 1,2,3,4,5,6 player maybe it's time to switch to quick picks.