Kiwis’ chances of winning tonight’s $23 million Powerball jackpot remain exactly the same as any other draw, despite misconceptions about how to improve the odds.
The Powerball draw rolled over to $23 million last week after no tickets won the jackpot on April 16.
It’s the largest jackpot since a New Plymouth man won $23.3 million last December
Lotto NZ said a large prize does not change the nature of the draw, which is based entirely on chance.
“Powerball always offers you the same one in 38.3 million chance to win First Division per line, regardless of the jackpot amount.”
The growing prize pot may attract more players, but this won’t impact your chances.
“No, your chances of winning stay the same regardless of how many times you’ve lost or won in the past,” according to Lotto.
Frequent play does not have any effect on your odds, and buying multiple tickets creates an extremely marginal increase, Lotto said
“Even if you buy multiple tickets for the same draw, your chances of winning will hardly increase at all. Because each new ticket has the same odds, there is no way that winning can average out in your favour over time.”
Similarly, having a “near miss” where most of your numbers match does not mean you are in for a win in future draws.
“Each outcome is independent and will not impact your chances of winning or losing in the future. Although a near win might feel like you’re getting closer to a big prize, you will still have the same odds next time you play,” Lotto tells players.
The lotteries commission also warns players not to fall into the trap of believing in winning strategies. Whether it’s using lucky numbers or past draw data, the organisation says no technique can outsmart the game’s randomness.
“You can’t predict which numbers will come up in a draw-based game, and therefore any strategies or techniques are redundant.”
The $23 million draw takes place tonight at 8.20pm on TVNZ 1.
