We all know the blissful feeling of buying a lottery ticket and mentally spending our imaginary winnings. It’s a dream that seems to always be out of reach… or is it?
Believe it or not, there are ways to increase your chances of hitting the lottery jackpot. Like any game, there are strategies you can use that put you ahead of the curve.
To help you turn that lottery winning dream into reality, let’s look at eight tips to use next time you buy a ticket.
1. You Have to Play to Win
The more you play the lottery, the more you’ll increase your chances of winning. That means if you buy tickets now and then, your chances are erratic at best. To create better odds, play the lottery consistently.
Set a weekly budget, only playing with money you can afford to spend. Remember, this is gambling, so you don’t want to rack up any financial debt.
Some people like to play by routine, such as buying a ticket every Monday before work. However, you decide to do it, pick a routine that’s fun and keeps you motivated.
2. Double Check Your Numbers
An eye-watering $2 billion lottery winnings go unclaimed every year. Reasons could be because a ticket got lost or someone forgot they even bought one. No matter what the explanation is, don’t let yourself lose out based on an avoidable technicality.
Set up a system that will remind you to check your ticket, such as putting a reminder notification on your phone. Then always place your ticket somewhere you’re sure to find it.
When the time comes to check the numbers, look at them not once but twice. Have someone else check if needed. Plus, always make sure you’re looking at winning numbers from the correct date.
3. Get a Second Chance
If your numbers don’t come up during the drawing, don’t despair. Everyone deserves a second chance, including your losing lottery numbers.
Many lottery games have a second chance drawing. This lets people with non-winning tickets enter it into a pool, with the winner drawn at random. Depending on which state you live in, you could win money or grand prizes.
Check your state’s lottery website to find out what the rules are and which games are eligible.
Think of it as a bonus round for your losing ticket. Enter by the second chance deadline to double the chances of becoming a winner.
4. Join a Lottery Pool
It might be tempting to increase your odds of winning by buying more tickets. The problem with that method is a budget-busting one. If you want to buy more tickets without spending too much, join a lottery pool.
A lottery pool is a group of people who put their money together and buy a bulk of lottery tickets. If any of the tickets come up a winner, the group agrees to split the money equally between them.
Lottery pools are great for co-workers, friends, and family. Of course, the more people in the group, the more tickets you can buy.
To make this work, you have to be okay with not taking home the jackpot on your own. Think of it as increasing your chances to win some money which is better than winning no money at all.
5. Play the Right Games
Most people like to play the lottery when popular jackpots climb super high. If you want the odds to be in your favor, play games that aren’t in significant demand.
Besides the national lottery, every state has different lottery games available to play. Research what your state offers and look at each game’s odds of winning. Then play the games that give you better odds.
Even though state games have a smaller jackpot, they also have a smaller playing pool. The fewer amount of people playing means the better odds you’ll win.
Plus, don’t skip over scratch-off tickets or Pick three games. In general, many have the highest chance of winning.
6. Pick High Numbers
Many people like to take winning into their own hands by choosing the numbers for each ticket.
Statistically, these numbers are more likely to be birthdays or anniversaries, which are lower numbers.
To put the odds in your favor, flip that around and pick higher numbers instead. Numbers starting at 31 and higher are less likely to get picked by others.
While that might not increase your chances of winning, it does increase how much money you’ll take home if you do win. By choosing numbers others aren’t likely to pick, you’ll decrease the chances of having to split the prize with multiple winners.
7. Use Your Numbers Consistently
There will always a debate about choosing your numbers or letting the computer pick them for you. Choosing your numbers gives you a consistent edge over Quick Picks.
That’s because if you have a set of lucky numbers or have researched a set that you feel strongly about, you’ll be more likely to remember to play every week. Remember, the more you play, the better your odds of winning.
8. Remember to Have Fun
No matter what, always remember playing the lottery is a game and you should have fun. Don’t let losing bring you down or you’ll become unmotivated to play. Instead, come up with ways to keep the game interesting.
Create a competition between friends or family. If no one wins the jackpot or the second chance lottery, come up with a “last chance” game of your own. Give each other prizes or treat someone to pizza.
Keeping the game fresh and entertaining will ensure you keep playing. Staying in the game increases your chance of finally becoming a winner.
Tip the Odds in Your Favor When Playing the Lottery
Stop daydreaming about spending imaginary winnings and make it a reality! By using these tips, you’ll increase your chances of winning the lottery and have fun while doing it.
Want to know how to invest your money wisely when you do win a lottery? Check out the advice articles on our Investing blog!
