An estimated $1 billion dollar Powerball jackpot will be up for grabs for the lottery’s Halloween night drawing.
After 37 consecutive drawings and no grand prize winners, including on Saturday night, the pot reached the billion-dollar threshold for the second time in the lottery’s 30-year history, Powerball said in a statement.
With more people playing with hopes of becoming a millionaire (or now a billionaire), the chances of picking winning combinations remain the same:1 in 292.2 million.
Many people play the lotto with “lucky numbers” – combinations of birthdays, dates, phone numbers, digits that come to them in dreams, and more.
While some select their own lotto numbers, others play Quick Picks, which are numbers that are randomly generated by machines.
So, is it better to play Quick Pick or to select your own numbers?
Chances of winning the lotto between playing quick picks or selecting your own numbers are both equal.
“Around 70 to 80 percent of Powerball players use Quick Pick tickets, and the same percentage of winning entries are Quick Picks,” one report said. “This shows that regardless of whether players choose to select their own numbers or not, the odds of winning remain the same.”
Despite having equal odds, both options have their pros and cons.
Playing Quick Pick is the fastest way to play, but leaves the possibility open for repeat numbers and combinations.
Selecting your own numbers gives you complete control over your numbers, but can take longer to play in stores, especially when the jackpot reaches enticing numbers for the non-regulars to want to participate.
For more information on how to play to the Powerball, click here.
