Mega Millions Winning Numbers - Lottery Strategies for Next Drawing Time?

The Mega Millions winning numbers for 03/30/12 have yet to be drawn, but millions of tickets have been sold. The recent frenzy has spawned plenty of reports around the country including one from ABC about lottery strategies.

So can people use any sort of strategy to win the lottery? According to ABC News, there is a programmer named Matthew Vea who created his own Mega Millions number tracking website. This site keeps track of all of the winning numbers from the history of the lottery, as well as all of the number combos that have yet to win. Vea has noted that there are some numbers he sees occurring more often than others. He added:

"However, that said, I do joke that if that kind of analysis truly did produce a winning result, I would be a millionaire by now. The fact that I have a day job shows there's no predicting the lottery."

Vea makes a good point as the odds of getting struck by lightning are better for people than winning the lottery jackpot. The last time someone won the jackpot was on January 24th, when 33-year-old Marcia Adams from Georgia won $72 million and took the cash option of $52 million. Since that date, there has been no grand prize winners, raising the jackpot for Friday to over $500 million, before taxes.

There are a few strategies of note pointed out in the ABC News article to avoid a shared jackpot. One strategy is to avoid playing the same numbers other people do. That includes lucky numbers or important dates. Playing these numbers over and over might seem like the way to go, but it also may be smarter to play different number combinations every time. Having the same lucky numbers as many other lottery ticket buyers could mean a shared prize.

It's also important to consider playing the lottery when the jackpot isn't quite so high. While half a billion dollars seems nice, it also has persuaded millions of others to play lottery numbers, increasing the chances of a shared prize. Playing the lottery when there's a lower prize and less interest could mean an exclusive jackpot.

However, when it comes down to it, most people would love to win, even if it means they have to share part of the millions of dollars given away. A recent ABC World News report on Thursday night indicated that enough tickets had been sold for Friday's drawing to mean the winning numbers were bought. That means there will be at least one jackpot winner.

Have you purchased Mega Millions tickets for Friday's huge jackpot? Do you have a certain strategy you use, or good luck rituals?

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