Lottery Odds Question

Here's my question:

-Let's say there were two seperate lotteries (like Powerball & Mega Millions)

-Let's say both lotteries had odds of winning the jackpot at 1 in 50 million.

-Both lotteries were drawn on the same night.

- You have 1 ticket for each lottery

- What are the odds of winning BOTH jackpots that night? Is it 1 in 100 million, still 1 in 50 million because they are seperate drawings, or something different completely?

BostonBoy said:

Here's my question:

-Let's say there were two seperate lotteries (like Powerball & Mega Millions)

-Let's say both lotteries had odds of winning the jackpot at 1 in 50 million.(2*10^-8)

-Both lotteries were drawn on the same night.

- You have 1 ticket for each lottery

- What are the odds of winning BOTH jackpots that night? Is it 1 in 100 million, still 1 in 50 million because they are seperate drawings, or something different completely?

Click to expand...

(2*10^-8) * (2*10^-8) = (4*10^-16) ... My grandson calls that number a Bazillion (I think - it changes sometimes).

Lottery...

Thank you! A bazillion...that's funny. Could you explain your answer briefly? I'm not very math savvy, so maybe in layman's terms. This maybe a simple formula for math pros, but this is Good Will Hunting stuff to me! I'm curious what makes 2 seperate odds at 1 in 50 million jump to a crazy number. Thank you!

BostonBoy said:

Thank you! A bazillion...that's funny. Could you explain your answer briefly? I'm not very math savvy, so maybe in layman's terms. This maybe a simple formula for math pros, but this is Good Will Hunting stuff to me! I'm curious what makes 2 seperate odds at 1 in 50 million jump to a crazy number. Thank you!

Click to expand...

An example with smaller numbers. Suppose you have two three sided dice with 1, 2, and 3 on them and you win if you throw a 1. What is the chance of getting two 1's. Well you can throw a 1 on die one and any of 1, 2, and, 3 on the other or a 2 on die one and any of 1, 2, 3 on the other or a 3 on die one and a 1, 2, or 3 on the other. That's 9 (=3 * 3) possibilities. Only one of those possibilities win so you have 1 chance in 9 of getting a 1 on both. Put a different way, you have a one in three chance on one die and 1 one in three chance for the other so you have a 1 in nine chance for getting both.