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ACTUAL ODDS of winning Powerball

C

CHOPPER GOD

Senior member
Powerball is a multi-state Lotto
You have to match 5 #'s (1-55) AND 1 red ball (1-42)
For this calculation , All I want to know are the odds of winning the jackpot.
The 'odds' straight from powerball website for grand prize are this:

Grand Prize 1 in 146,107,962
1 in 146 million! LoL

Ok guys lets verify that.
If I remeber statistcs right, to find out all the possible combinations for a series of 5 numbers that range from 1-55 (With no repeating, since there is only 1 ball per number) would be:

55 x 54 x 53 x 52 x 51 = 417,451,320 !
lol WAY higher than what website says IF my math is correct and thats just for the first 5 numbers
If there are 417 Million combinations of the first 5 white balls NOW there are 42 Extra combinations for each combination (red ball is 1-42)

So doesn't that make it 417,451,320 x 42?
Which would be 1 in 17,532,955,440 !
1 in 17.5 Billion?

Please verify for me.
 
I am the worst ever at math, but keep in mind the numbers don't have to be in order, other than the fact the Powerball has to be, well, the Powerball.
 
The order of the first 5 numbers do not matter, so the calculation is:

(55 x 54 x 53 x 52 x 51) / (5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) = 3,478,761

Then for the power ball 1,217,566 x 41 = 146,107,962
 
Originally posted by: Lindt
The order of the first 5 numbers do not matter, so the calculation is:

(55 x 54 x 53 x 52 x 51) / (5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) = 3,478,761

Then for the power ball 1,217,566 x 41 = 146,107,962
Click to expand...

:Q

You've been here since 6/2004 & only have 2 posts!

Cheers Lindt :beer:
 
Originally posted by: mzkhadir
website with the same info:http://www.powerball.com/powerball/pb_prizes.asp

Grand Prize 1 in 146,107,962.00
$200,000 1 in 3,563,608.83
$10,000 1 in 584,431.85
$100 1 in 14,254.44
$100 1 in 11,927.18
$7 1 in 290.91
$7 1 in 745.45
$4 1 in 126.88
$3 1 in 68.96
Click to expand...

Good example I win 3$ if I get JUST the powerball which should be 1 in 42 chance NOT 1 in 68.96. I just think powerballs math needs to be looked at.

 
Thank you stan.
Forgot about the 5x4x3x2x1 part lol

I have a 100% chance of not winning 340 million Doll Hairs if I dont play!

So my math would be the odds if you had to get the numbers in order, wow.

thx guys.
😀
 
Originally posted by: CHOPPER GOD
Originally posted by: mzkhadir
website with the same info:http://www.powerball.com/powerball/pb_prizes.asp

Grand Prize 1 in 146,107,962.00
$200,000 1 in 3,563,608.83
$10,000 1 in 584,431.85
$100 1 in 14,254.44
$100 1 in 11,927.18
$7 1 in 290.91
$7 1 in 745.45
$4 1 in 126.88
$3 1 in 68.96
Click to expand...

Good example I win 3$ if I get JUST the powerball which should be 1 in 42 chance NOT 1 in 68.96. I just think powerballs math needs to be looked at.
Click to expand...

1 in 69 is the odds of you just getting the powerball AND no other winning number. 1 in 42 is the chance you will get the powerball regardless of the other numbers. They should also give your odds of winning any prize, which will be less then 1 in 42.

The powerball odds have been poured over by both lawyers and statisticians. You won't find any errors in them.
 
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Originally posted by: Lindt
The order of the first 5 numbers do not matter, so the calculation is:

(55 x 54 x 53 x 52 x 51) / (5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) = 3,478,761

Then for the power ball 1,217,566 x 41 = 146,107,962
Click to expand...

:Q

You've been here since 6/2004 & only have 2 posts!

Cheers Lindt :beer:
Click to expand...

Wow, haha.. the funny thing is his first post was only a week ago in a Halloween discussion!
Originally posted by: Lindt
I was thinking about going with my girlfriend as M&Ms. With and without nuts.
Click to expand...
Pretty funny too, but what's with joining a year ago? 😛
 
Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
Originally posted by: CHOPPER GOD
Originally posted by: mzkhadir
website with the same info:http://www.powerball.com/powerball/pb_prizes.asp

Grand Prize 1 in 146,107,962.00
$200,000 1 in 3,563,608.83
$10,000 1 in 584,431.85
$100 1 in 14,254.44
$100 1 in 11,927.18
$7 1 in 290.91
$7 1 in 745.45
$4 1 in 126.88
$3 1 in 68.96
Click to expand...

Good example I win 3$ if I get JUST the powerball which should be 1 in 42 chance NOT 1 in 68.96. I just think powerballs math needs to be looked at.
Click to expand...

1 in 69 is the odds of you just getting the powerball AND no other winning number. 1 in 42 is the chance you will get the powerball regardless of the other numbers. They should also give your odds of winning any prize, which will be less then 1 in 42.

The powerball odds have been poured over by both lawyers and statisticians. You won't find any errors in them.
Click to expand...

ah right. i was puzzled by that 1 in 68.xx for the past 15 minutes 😛
 
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