Lottery Calculator
Calculate the odds, expected value, and probability of winning for various lottery games. Enter the total numbers, numbers to pick, ticket price, and jackpot to see your chances.
Published by:
isCalculator Editorial Team
Was this calculator helpful?
How to use this tool?
This calculator computes the odds of winning a lottery jackpot where you pick a set of numbers from a fixed pool.
- Enter Total Numbers in Pool – The total number of possible numbers in the lottery (e.g., 49).
- Enter Numbers to Pick – How many numbers you must select (e.g., 6). Must be ≤ total numbers.
- Enter Ticket Price – Cost per ticket in dollars (e.g., 2.00).
- Enter Jackpot Amount – The grand prize in dollars (e.g., 1,000,000).
- Click Calculate Odds.
The results show:
- Probability of Winning – The chance in scientific notation (e.g., 7.15e-8).
- Odds (1 in X) – The number of possible combinations (e.g., 13,983,816).
- Expected Value per Ticket – Average net gain/loss per ticket (e.g., -$1.93). A negative value means a losing bet on average.
Note: All inputs must be positive integers (except price and jackpot, which can be zero). The calculator uses standard combinations formula C(n,k).
Previous Results
| Result | Inputs | Date |
|---|
Frequently Asked Questions
It calculates the number of possible combinations using the combination formula C(n, k) = n! / (k! * (n-k)!). The probability is 1 divided by the number of combinations, and expected value is (jackpot * probability) - ticket price.
Yes, as long as the lottery involves picking a set of numbers from a larger pool without replacement and order doesn't matter. For games with bonus numbers or multiple prize tiers, this calculator only evaluates the jackpot odds.
Expected value is the average amount you can expect to win (or lose) per ticket if you play the lottery many times. A negative expected value means you lose money on average.
