Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Maths question

  • 14-08-2009 11:00am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,288 ✭✭✭


    Purely from a mathematical standpoint based on odds of a prize and the amount of prize..

    Is it better to buy a 6euro quickpick with lottoplus (3 lines and 3 draws) 1 - 48 match 6.

    Or

    a 6 euro Euromillions without plus. (3 lines and 1 draw) 1 - 50 and match 7.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,595 ✭✭✭MathsManiac


    Firstly, this is complicated by the fact that you'd have to take into account all the different possible prizes and the odds of winning each of them.

    Much easier than doing that is to try to get info about the long-run payout of the two games. This is the fairest way to compare two such games. Lotto pays out a little over half of all the money it takes in, judging by the 2008 figures. I think this proportion is governed by legislation or license, and I'm sure you could find it on line. I don't know what the corresponding pay-out fraction for Euromillions is. A quick websearch didn't turn it up.

    Anyway, if you're ONLY interested in the jackpots, and completely ignoring the value of potentially winning a smaller prize, then it's worth pointing out that Euromillions is NOT to match 7 numbers from 50; it's to match 5 numbers from 50 and 2 numbers from 9. The odds are about 76 million to 1, whereas the odds in the lotto are about 8 million to 1.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,235 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    It also is complicated by the fact that prizes are dynamic,
    Best bet is to look at payout as mentioned


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,445 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Best strategy is to buy neither. It's a stealth tax on the poor.


Advertisement