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Euro Millions how many number combinations
So out of curiosity how many possible number combinations would there be for Friday's Euromillions lottery draw.
You have two sets of numbers your main numbers and your "star" numbers
For the main numbers you choose 5 numbers from 1 to 50
For the "star numbers" you choose 2 from 1 to 9
obviously once a number is drawn it cannot be drawn again!!
You have two sets of numbers your main numbers and your "star" numbers
For the main numbers you choose 5 numbers from 1 to 50
For the "star numbers" you choose 2 from 1 to 9
obviously once a number is drawn it cannot be drawn again!!
Infinity08
50!/45! * 9!/7! = 18306086400
ASKER
When i started looking at the problem i got 36 as the possible number of combinations for the star numbers due to not being able to have 2 numbers the same and eliminating matching so 2 & 3 being the same as 3 & 2 we got a figure around the 9 billion mark.
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Like what Infinity08 says.
roughly 77 million combinations.
and th UK lottery has roughly 14 million combinations (49C6)
roughly 77 million combinations.
and th UK lottery has roughly 14 million combinations (49C6)
ASKER
Thank you gentlemen so technically it is still not viable for someone to cover all potential outcomes and make a profit as at £1.50 a ticket you'd need £115million to cover all combinations (and too much time on your hands) and your potential winnings would only be £85million should you be the only winner!!
ASKER
Sorry potentially sexist of me Gentlemen/Ladies
>>You'd need £115million to cover all combinations and the potential winnings would only be £85million
You would also win a lot of other prizes as well as the jackpot. Though you might have to share the jackpot with someone else.
You would also win a lot of other prizes as well as the jackpot. Though you might have to share the jackpot with someone else.
If it would be possible to win money by entering all possible combinations, then the lottery would soon be out of business. Imagine 77 million participants, each with a different number, and each paying 1.50. Since all combinations are covered, all kinds of prizes should be given out. If the total amount of prize money is more than 115 million, then the lottery has lost. No lottery looses, so the assumption that you'll win by entering all possible combinations is false. QED :)
there is the concept of a 'roll over' where the jackpot is not won for several weeks, making the jackpot greater than the cost of all combinations.
A gambler was successful in exploiting this fact in the Irish lottery (twice it seems). The first time he handwrote the tickets, the second time he laser printed the tickets.
The risks are that you might have to share the jackpot and that the attempt to purchase all possible tickets may be thwarted, for example the Irish gambler found that a supermarket chain elected to turn away his laser printed entry forms - but he still managed to get the winner in
A gambler was successful in exploiting this fact in the Irish lottery (twice it seems). The first time he handwrote the tickets, the second time he laser printed the tickets.
The risks are that you might have to share the jackpot and that the attempt to purchase all possible tickets may be thwarted, for example the Irish gambler found that a supermarket chain elected to turn away his laser printed entry forms - but he still managed to get the winner in