Tips for Playing the Lottery

Winning the lottery is something that we’d all like to do, and if we knew the secret of success, we'd all be millionaires.

Unfortunately, lottery results are determined entirely at random and we cannot influence the outcome of the draw. However, we can maximise our chances by following a few simple guidelines and avoid making obvious mistakes.

Choose random numbers

Selcting prime numbers or all odd or even numbers is not a great idea because a huge number of people are doing exactly the same thing. If your numbers come up, it is more likely you will have to share the jackpot. Use a Lucky Dip or Quick Pick facility or close your eyes and rely on chance to guide your choice.

Evaluate the odds

Some lotteries offer much better odds of winning than others. The greater the amount of numbers to choose from, and the smaller the amount of numbers you need to choose, the lower the odds are of winning. Different lotteries also offer different jackpot amounts, so if the odds are the same, it makes sense to play the game that provides the biggest jackpot. See Lottery Odds of Winning for more information about maximising your odds of winning.

Double your dates

If you are one of the many people who insist on using dates as your six lottery numbers, consider doubling any date that is less than 24. This will give you more numbers at the upper end of the 1 to 49 range.

Club together

Two tickets give you double the chance of winning than one, and four quadruples your chances. If you don't mind sharing the jackpot should you win, get together with a couple of friends to buy lottery tickets or start a syndicate at work.

See our recommended Lottery websites here.