When it comes to the lottery, some people have numbers they regularly play, while others like to switch it up a bit. Perhaps you have your lucky number or use a family member's birthday or an anniversary date. However, it's worth educating yourself on the "unluckiest" numbers to play—especially if they're the options you often choose. Now, a new study performed by experts at JustGamblers uncovered the numbers pulled the least across five major U.S. lotteries: Powerball, Mega Millions, The Big Game, Hot Lotto, and Lucky for Life. Read on to find out which seven lottery numbers you should avoid if you want to win the jackpot.
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7 | 40
iStockThe seventh least popular number is 40, which has an average frequency of 159.4.
6 | 45
ShutterstockPer JustGamblers' study, 45 is the sixth least commonly drawn number. It has an average frequency 154.6.
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5 | 44
Ground Picture/ShutterstockThe fifth unluckiest number—which has an average frequency of 153.6—is 44.
According to a press release provided to Best Life by JustGamblers, 44 has been called 174 times in Lucky for Life, ranking 46th in that lottery. It's only been drawn 52 times in Hot Lotto, ranking 43rd in that lottery.
4 | 41
M. Schuppich / ShutterstockAnother number to avoid is 41, which is picked less often than 44, but not by much. According to JustGamblers' data, it has an average frequency of 153.2.
It ranks 47th in Lucky for Life, where it has a frequency of 167, and 44th in The Big Game, where it has a frequency of 45.
3 | 43
iStockRounding out the top three is 43, which has an average frequency of 148.4 across the five lotteries analyzed in the study.
Per the JustGamblers press release, 43 is actually the least common number in Hot Lotto and has only been called 38 times in that lottery. In Mega Millions, it claims the 49th spot and appeared in a winning draw 169 times.
2 | 46
ShutterstockThe second unluckiest number is 46. According to JustGamblers' data, it has an average frequency of 139.4.
In Hot Lotto, it ranks only above 43 in terms of frequency, called 39 times. It is the 49th most common number in Powerball, being called 220 times.
1 | 47
ShutterstockTopping the list of lottery numbers to avoid is yet another number in the 40s: 47.
It has an average frequency of 138, ranking 52nd in Mega Millions and 48th in Powerball. It has appeared 161 times in Mega Millions and 242 times in Powerball.
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The data also revealed the luckiest numbers in these five lotteries.
ShutterstockThere are also five numbers that are most likely to appear across these five lotteries.
The fifth most popular is 15, with an average frequency of 198, followed by 32 as the fourth most popular, with an average frequency of 198.8.
The top three numbers were 39 (average frequency: 199); 16 (average frequency: 200.6); and 28 (average frequency: 201.4).
But before you strike any of these numbers from your list or try out new ones, keep in mind that data will vary from lottery to lottery, and the average frequencies represent the numbers' commonality across all five games. In addition, Lucky For Life only allows players to pick numbers between 1 through 49, and 1 through 18, while Hot Lotto has players chose numbers from 1 through 47, and 1 through 19.
Illustrating this, when looking at collective data from Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, Lotto America, and Lucky for Life, the most common numbers shift. The top three luckiest numbers in those games were 10, 28, and 16, a separate study from Lottery Geeks found.
Best Life offers the most up-to-date financial information from top experts and the latest news and research, but our content is not meant to be a substitute for professional guidance. When it comes to the money you're spending, saving, or investing, always consult your financial advisor directly.
