h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Intrestingly no one has questioned my calculations of the odds for the lower prizes. This could mean that I have it right or it could mean that no one clever enough to work it out has read this thread. I have found two web sites that calculate lottery odd that leads me to believe that my figures are wrong. But the figures from the two site also differ but are closer than mine. Figures from one site http://www.lottogenie.com/html/odds.html are:
5 balls 54,200:1
4 balls 1,032:1
3 balls 56:1

The other site http://uk.alllotto.com/odds_calculator.php is about 2% higher but does give a figure for 5 plus the bonus of 2,655,841:1

None of this really affects the entry as it stands and unless there is strong feeling otherwise I shall leave it out. But I can see that my approach to calculating the odds for the lower prizes is flawed. Do any researcher know the correct method and why answers vary?

SK

I'm pretty sure how you go about calculating the chances in these things, but I don't know the details of the British Lottery: how many balls are there? What do you get prizes for? Are there "bonus numbers"?

The British lottery main draw "The Lotto" draws 6 number plus a bonus from 49 numbers. Prizes are for 6, 5+B, 5, 4, and 3.

I have also found a site that explains how to calculate the odds at http://www.saliu.com/bbs/messages/265.html

I've added a little bit about the minor prizes, but I don't want to go into great detail quoting all the odds etc. as I think that will just muddy the water.

SK

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

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Geggs

Congratulations!

Cheers to you, Sir Kitt

Thanks, Guys

SK