Calculating Lotto 6/49 Odds | Formula Explained

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The odds of winning Lotto 6/49, which involves selecting 6 different numbers from a set of 49, can be calculated using the combination formula 49C6. This formula is derived from the total permutations divided by the factorial of the number of selections, expressed as 49!/(6!*43!). The correct probability of winning is approximately 1 in 14,000,000, reflecting the actual odds reported in the news. The initial multiplication approach of 49*48*47...*44 does not yield the correct odds because it considers the order of selection, rather than the combination. Understanding this distinction is crucial for accurate probability calculations in lottery games.
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i was trying to calculate the odds of winning the lotto 6/49 6 diffrent numbers and the numbers go from 1 - 49 could anyone calculate it and show me the formula i thought it would be 49*48*47...*43 but that does not seem right
thanks
 
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whatdofisheat said:
i was trying to calculate the odds of winning the lotto 6/49 6 diffrent numbers and the numbers go from 1 - 49 could anyone calculate it and show me the formula i thought it would be 49*48*47...*43 but that does not seem right
thanks
The probability of choosing the winning number would be 1 out of the number of ordered 6-character strings you can create from a 49 character set without replacement. The latter number is what you calculated, 49 choices for the first character multiplied by 48 choices for the second character, and so on for 6 factors.
 
yes but sequencially multplying thes numbers together gives me 10068347520 which is alittle hey because people usually win the lotto every week and I am sure not that many tickets are sold
 
49C6

Or using the definition of the combination...

49!/(6!*43!)

It's about 1 in 14,000,000, the number you've been hearing in the news for the past week.
 
It does not matter in what order you receive your six numbers, so it is a combination, which is the permutation divided by 6!
 

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