Although everybody knows that a lottery is a game of luck, probably every single person has some strategy when it comes to choosing the numbers. So many approaches pose the inevitable question – do they carry any real impact regarding our chances?

To try to answer that question we’re going to go over some of the most popular ways for choosing the lottery numbers to determine if they are “the right ones”. Although some of the ways have nothing to do with in-depth research, we’re still talking about systems, so getting to know what types of lotteries there are and finding all you need to know about online lotteries is mandatory preparation, no matter the path you choose to take.

Fighting Fire with Fire

Since lottery winnings boil down to luck, many have decided to use that same luck as their method, thinking that “fighting fire with fire” will improve their chances. And when we say many, we mean it – it has been found that more than 70% of lotto players believe certain numbers are luckier than others.

Those lucky numbers can be connected to personal experiences, cultures, or even universal opinion as is the case with the number 8 amongst Chinese people, for example. Suffice to say, numbers considered lucky don’t have any real effect when it comes to statistics of winnings. If we look closer, this way has less to do with luck and more with innate superstition or sentimental value behind certain numbers. 

Written in the Stars

Another method of finding lucky numbers may lie in having faith beyond human reasoning. Although numerology can be described as finding meaning in numbers, the idea behind it is a much larger one – that the cosmos and our lives are affected by numbers in our names, birth dates, and other individual factors. So, instead of simply proclaiming our anniversaries, birthdays, and other notable dates as luck, the numerology approach brings far more depth to the game.

Again, there’s no proof that this approach works better than the first one but, since it involves formulas based on our connection with the universe, it does sound a bit more legit. 

Dreams & Hunches

Although many people throughout history tried to prove the significance of dreams, choosing lottery numbers from them is nothing less abstract than picking them based on a personal hunch. These things have one thing in common – that feeling in our gut that they’re right.

Sometimes certain numbers are calling to us from the depths of our being. If we can give some significance to our superstitions and our faith in the cosmos and the stars, there’s no reason not to answer this inner call in the same way. 

The Pragmatic Approach

Opposing the above-described approaches, this one is based purely on research and facts. Due to the immense global popularity of lottery games, we have access to an equally impressive amount of information on every lottery draw. Therefore, we’re able to conduct research and figure out which numbers appear the most. This way of choosing numbers is all about frequency, finding the so-called hot and cold ones.

First, there are the ones that have been showing up in many winning draws, while the second ones are drawn rarely, which leaves us with two options: to stick with hot numbers cause they’ll quickly show up again or opt for cold ones since they should be due soon.  

Although the case of statistics used by a Stanford Ph.D. winner may seem like proof that this approach works, speaking mathematically there’s no reason for these numbers to be winning more likely than random ones. Nevertheless, there’s no harm to try out your luck with the “hotter” ones, just keep in mind that you won’t be the only one performing this kind of research so, if you do win, you’ll almost certainly have to split those winnings with other parties. 

Far from the Madding Crowd

Going for a “quick pick” by playing computer-generated random numbers doesn’t increase your chances over the previous method statistically, but it does have one advantage – if the numbers do appear you’ll certainly win more. The reason is quite simple: the odds that two players will have the same random numbers are close to nil. From all of the mentioned approaches, this one guarantees you’ll stay away from the “madding crowd” trying out the same methods. 

Unlocking the Mystical Power

No, we’re not going back to the abstract and esoteric. In the end, we need to mention the approach that certainly doesn’t work. You’ve probably noticed the huge amount of lottery prediction software and books available online. Almost every day some genius appears claiming he has figured out a fail-safe way to predict next week’s numbers and unlocking that mystical power will only take a modest fee on behalf of interested punters.

Besides the fact that only a completely insane person would share a jackpot with a bunch of other people, if genuinely predicting the numbers suddenly becomes possible, it would be a breakthrough that would immediately change the very core of the lottery system. 

As you can see, there is no one right way to choose lottery numbers. If you’re aiming for a big win it may seem best to go for random numbers, but that can take out all of the excitement that compels many to play in the first place. If you aim to play safe, it seems that research statistics is a way to go.

But we’ve witnessed so many occasions in life when following your hunch, a dream, or even basic superstition bears fruit. However, we’re not going to pretend you can unlock the mystical power of predicting numbers by employing any of these tactics. Your winning method will ultimately depend on whether you’re a realist or a dreamer, as well as why you started playing in the first place.