Randomness
Created | Updated Apr 1, 2002
The lottery is random.
Random means it can't be predicted. Lets consider a simple example: the coin flip. There are two sides to the coin, so there are two possible outcomes: heads or tails. Imagine that we flip this coin 99 times, and it comes up heads all 99 times! Now, what are the chances that the next flip will be heads? How many sides does the coin have? The chance is one in two: 50%. Why is it just as likely now that we have already tossed 99 heads? After all, the chance of getting heads all 100 times is one in 2 to the 100th power, or about 1 in... 1267650600000000000000000000000. But the chance of getting 99 heads and one tails on the last toss is also 1 in ... 1267650600000000000000000000000! The head of the coin does not get "hot", nor does it get "cold" or "ripe" (lottery addicts terms for numbers which are statistically special as a result of being more common or less common.) Numbers in the lottery are usually picked by flying balls. These balls do not take turns, or argue about whose turn it is to jump into the slot. The lotteries are monitored by accounting firms who weigh the balls and inspect them for surface damage which might affect their aerodynamic characteristics. Unless there is fraud or corruption, the lottery is random and fair, and you will probably not win more than you lose!
