POWERBALL

PROBLEM

• If I were to buy 5 tickets every day for a week. What are my odds of winning either the 5 white balls or the jackpot?

TERMS

• Sample space=extremely large
• Favorable Event=Getting all 5 whites or Jackpot
• Possible events= 1,2,3,4,5,all,none.

MORE INFO

• Drawings are on Wednesday and Saturday
• White balls numbered 1-69
• Powerball numbered 1-26

1 TICKET

• 69*68*67*66*65
• Each number is dependent on the number drawn before it.
• Odds of matching all five whites=1,348,621,560:1

1 TICKET (POWERBALL)

• 69*68*67*66*65*26
• Probability of getting jackpot is: 35,064,160,560:1
• Either prize: 35,064,160,560:26 or 1,348,621,560:1

ADDING TICKETS

• 5 tickets a day starting Sunday
• Wed: 20 tickets
• Sat: 15 tickets

MORE TICKETS

• Wed: 1,348,621,560:20 or 67,431,078:1
• Sat: 1,348,621,560:15 or 89,908,104:1

IN CONCLUSION

• The favored event in either case is extremely small.
• More likely to lose or make small gains than to win big.
• If stockpiling tickets daily, put more into the Wednesday drawings.