Everyone’s an expert, it seems, but don’t buy into these Powerball gimmicks when you play.
There are some pretty crazy theories and suggestions out there claiming to provide an advantage when playing Powerball. And while some of the advice provided makes sense, most are simply Powerball gimmicks. So don’t believe everything you hear because these six Powerball gimmicks won’t actually improve your chances of winning the jackpot.
1. Only Pick High Numbers
There’s a myth out there about picking higher numbers to increase your chance of winning a Powerball prize. The theory behind it is that most people play the numbers one through 31, representative of important calendar dates. This means fewer people choose those numbers above 31. The idea is you’ll be less likely to have to split the prize with other winners should your numbers match. But in the end, this Powerball gimmick isn’t going to provide any advantage at all in terms of the odds of winning.
2. Powerball Number Generators
There are plenty of apps you might consider downloading that claim to have the magic algorithm for choosing winning Powerball numbers. The software is designed to analyze previous results as well as chosen digit frequency. But don’t be fooled. These apps may be great at selecting playable numbers. But because every Powerball drawing is unique and not based on past lineups at all, there is no real way to predict or identify a pattern for an edge.
3. Avoiding Numbers in Patterns
One lucky Powerball winner, who actually won seven different times, offered up his suggestions for choosing lucky digits. He says to avoid filling up your card with lines or patterns, for example, diagonal patterns across each game. However, like the idea behind choosing higher numbers, avoiding patterns with your picks will only help separate you from those who choose to play that way. In the end, you might only reduce your chances of having to split a jackpot with someone else, not increasing your chances of winning altogether.
4. Avoiding Consecutive Numbers
Some people believe that because Powerball is essentially drawn at random, random numbers are more likely to win. But avoiding consecutive numbers in your picks won’t actually increase your chances of scoring the jackpot. For example, you might feel like choosing eight, nine, and ten isn’t lucky. But playing in a sequence has just as much of a shot at matching the final draw as any other combination.
5. The Most Popularly Chosen Powerball Numbers
A general Google search of the most "popular Powerball numbers" will result in several pages of links to opinions on the matter. Providing you the most common numbers played and chosen in the past, however, won't improve your chances of winning the jackpot. Again, you might feel better about playing numbers that routinely get played by others. Alternatively, you might avoid the popular rosters and go with less chosen digits. But in the end, it's important to remember that each Powerball drawing is unique and not at all based on past plays.
6. Auto-Generated Numbers Have a Better Chance of Winning
There are two sides to this theory. Some vehemently believe that self-selecting numbers for play has a more likely chance of winning. While in the other camp, Powerball players only play numbers auto-generated, with the same belief in mind. Regardless of where you officially stand on this debate, the truth is both methods of number selection have an equal chance of winning. It’s a Powerball gimmick and myth to presume either will provide any advantage.
The only real way to effectively increase the odds of winning Powerball is to simply buy more tickets to play. It’s the only method to authentically increase your chances, albeit slightly. Any of these other suggestions, no matter how reliable they sound, are just Powerball myths. Do buy into the myths. Just keep buying those tickets!