A Beginners Look at Wheeling

The 3 if 5 of 6 in 12 numbers 2 combinations (12,6,3,5)=2 is 
the simplest wheel possible and is created when you buy two 
tickets with twelve different numbers between them.

It works like this. . .

Two tickets. . .
01-02-03-04-05-06 07-08-09-10-11-12

Write down any five numbers from 01-12, three of them have to be found on one ticket or the other.

So, if you have five of the six winning numbers among those on your two tickets, you have to win something.

If you have all six of the winning numbers among those on your two tickets, you have to win at least two 3#'s. This is why two tickets are better than one. :-)

This of course works if you replace those 12 numbers with any set of 12 different numbers you think are lucky.

Now, leave those two tickets as they are and buy a 3rd ticket with six more numbers different from the first two, now it becomes possible for there to be only two of the winning numbers on each ticket, but there remains an 86% chance of a 3# win. You're covering more then a third of the numbers on only 3 tickets and have a shot at winning something. After 3 tickets there is a sharp drop off in coverage, 24 numbers is around 50% of a 3# win.

The other way covers fewer numbers, but guarantees a better prize when you are right, everything remains in balance. See how if you write down any six numbers between 01-09 you have to find 4 of them on one ticket?

1-2-3-4-5-6 1-2-3-7-8-9 4-5-6-7-8-9

Only 9 numbers on 3 tickets instead of 18, but this set guarantees a 4# winning ticket if all six winning numbers are among the 9 and about a 63% chance of a 5# win.

01-02-03-04-05-06 01-02-03-07-08-09 04-05-06-07-08-09
01-02-03-10-11-12 04-05-06-10-11-12 07-08-09-10-11-12

Takes 6 tickets to cover 12 numbers, but guarantees a 4# winning ticket if all six winning numbers are among your twelve. It is also possible to use six tickets to cover 16 numbers to guarantee a 3# win.

Now, let's take this 4 if 6 in 12 number 6 combination wheel and add a 7th ticket with all different numbers bringing the total up to 18. We have the 4 if wheel and we have the 86% 3 if wheel, all for a reasonable price, not bad for only 7 tickets. This is where the cheap seats end, after this it gets progressively more expensive to play, but you can play free or play additional tickets at one of the free lotto games if any use the results from your state.

The larger wheels and what the article is about, is using wheels like these that guarantee a 4# win, at the front of larger wheels that guarantee a 3# win with some savings if they have combinations in common. This should work if you pick your own numbers and put the best ones first where they form a better mini wheel inside the larger and if not and they fall among the remaining numbers, you still might get lucky as in the 86% chance.

Robert Perkis

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