Finding the Probability of Winning the Texas Lottery

[patrickjmt]

@MiekWave people actually did this; the jackpot was larger than the number of tickets so they tried to buy all possible combinations, however, they ran out of time. they still did manage to get the winning ticket though.

[patrickjmt]

@IsraeliXdude well, those are independent events, so you would multiply the individual probabilities together

[ARNRF]

If you choose 5 numbers from 1 to 56, first multiply 1*2*3*4*5 and get 120, now multiply 56*55*54*53*52 and get 458, 377, 920 now divide that by 120 and get 3, 819, 816 now multiply that times 46 and get 175, 711, 536 and your odds of winning are 1 in 175, 711, 536

[patrickjmt]

@latinluigi well, odds are different than probabilities

[patrickjmt]

so you choose a total of 12, and of the seven that making the winning lotto number, you have to have those 7, correct?

[madhc]

The Texas Lotto game actually has a much higher probability for winning, relatively speaking. In the Texas Lottery you select 6 from a field of 54. I think this is the multi-state Mega Millions game, though I suppose in Texas it is referred to as the Texas Millions.
I like your vids btw, very clear and concise explanations. Hard to find in a Calc II instructor!

[patrickjmt]

i try to make my explanations as simply as possible... but not too simple!

[omgitsfreakenrobert]

After a quick 3-4 video refresher I was able to understand many questions better, thanks!

[hakufirefox]

Your videos are so helpful. Thank you for all of your tutorial videos. They are all fantastic.

[jksatte]

That's the thing about the statistics; despite the infinitesimally small chance of winning someone always does. I still have to throw my hat in the ring lol. I always do. My time is today. Yeaa!!!

[nkp]

The way you describe is excellent, It's calculus made easy.

[Laerrus]

I've been playing the Texas lottery off and on for the past 18 years, and I am done with the game. They added the "Extra!" feature this past Sunday that works much like Powerplay or Megaplier, but the odds of winning are still 25 Million to 1. Jackpots now only go up by $250, 000, the game will probably never break $10 Million again. The TLC should have dropped the numbers in their ball matrix down to 49 or 50 for better odds if they wanted to boost sales.

[patrickjmt]

@xSirFarisx yep, might as well not be you

[jetonm]

Correct! You choose a total of 12 out of 34. Of those 12, 7 ought to be correct to hit the winning number.

Thank you for your quick response.

[pitty]

Great video Patrick. Please keep them coming..

[lalitajoshi]

Okay so I'm smiling again :) I am preparing for GATE (An engineering graduates exam here in India.) and I was very worried about how I am gonna go with this probability chapter but thanks a Ton to you.

[eunicejohnson]

Dream Breaker, Heart Breaker, but it is very entertaining to learn how to calculate the chance to win : )

[patrickjmt]

well, i dont know about that : )
i sort of like driving on paved roads, having public schools, having public parks, hospitals, firemen, policemen, public attorneys, etc., etc., etc. : ) However, as one can see from the US economic bailout plan, a lot of money gets wasted too unfortunately. now our tax dollars support people who make wooden arrows for children... what a waste! this is why all of u must study and change the world for the better! : )
or just suck it up and carry on!

[patrickjmt]

yep, fo sho : )

i am not expecting either to happen to me

[jimmyz]

@gix500
Its 1 over (36 factorial divided by (29 factorial times 7 factorial))
which =
1/8, 347, 680
= approximately