Wanna win the Mega Millions jackpot? Check out these numbers
Want to win the $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot? Well, you might want to start with having the number 1 on your lottery ticket.
Since Mega Millions' current format of drawing five white-colored balls numbered one through 70 and one gold-colored Mega Ball numbered one through 25 was introduced on Halloween 2017, no other white ball has been drawn more than 1.
It's been drawn 18 times, according to Mega Millions records kept on the game's website. The next most frequently drawn balls are the 2, 28 and 70 balls, which have appeared 12 times each. And the 14, 17 and 42 balls have each been drawn 11 times.
Also, white ball number 1 has been drawn six times since the last Mega Millions jackpot was claimed on July 20. That means it's been drawn 23 percent of the time since then. No other white ball has been drawn more in that time, records show.
Additionally, the gold number 1 Mega Ball has been drawn six times in 102 drawings under the current format. Only the 9 and 22 Mega Balls have been drawn with more frequency, at seven times each.
However, the number 1 Mega Ball was drawn in not one but two of the four jackpot-winning combinations since the new format began, records show.
The next Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday. If won, it will be the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, officials said.
Mathematicians and oddsmakers pooh-pooh the idea of lucky numbers. They say the frequency of a ball being drawn among such a small sample size really means nothing in terms of probable future outcomes, especially considering lottery officials note the actual balls being drawn are regularly changed out and replaced with newer, cleaner ones.
But some lottery players look for any potential advantage.
Lottery players looking to bank on the least frequently drawn numbers should try number 50, which has appeared only twice in the 102 drawings. The 9, 36, 57 and 63 balls have been pulled only three times since last Halloween as well, according to lottery records.
As for the least commonly drawn gold Mega Ball, it's the 5 ball. It's appeared only twice.
And if $1.6 billion seems like too much money, it's worth noting the Powerball jackpot currently stands at more than $600 million, if that's more your speed.
The lucky one?
The number 1 in the Mega Millions lottery drawing has an interesting history since the format change on Halloween 2017.
102: Drawings since format change
18: Times the white 1 ball has been drawn, more than any other
6: Times the gold 1 Mega Ball has been drawn
4: Jackpot winners since format change
2: Times gold 1 Mega Ball has been drawn when jackpot was won
1: Time both the 1 white ball and 1 Mega Ball were drawn in a jackpot win
Source: Mega Millions lottery