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Lottery DataBase Analysis - 02


var oddsAgainst = [2400000,1200000,400000,12000,645,350,53,40,20,11,10];
var outputOne = oddsAgainst.length;  

Nada Yet



function findOddsOfAnyPrize(rawOddsArray){
    var culOdds = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < rawOddsArray.length; i++){
        culOdds += 1 / rawOddsArray[i];       
    }
    return culOdds;
}

var outputTwo = findOddsOfAnyPrize(oddsAgainst);

Nada Yet



var outputThree = 1/outputTwo;

Nada Yet



This last compares quite favorable to the value found on the back of the lottery ticket:
"Odds of winning any prize 1:3.50; cash prize 1:5.38"



Of course, that last just begs the question, can I match the second value?

function findOddsCashPrize(rawOddsArray){
    var culOdds = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < rawOddsArray.length - 1; i++){ // which chops off the free ticket prize odds
        culOdds += 1 / rawOddsArray[i];       
    }
    return culOdds;
}

var outputFour = 1 / findOddsCashPrize(oddsAgainst);

Nada Yet




And the answer is NO.
So, take my calculations with a grain of salt.
Maybe it's rounding errors.
Maybe the lottery is wrong.
Or maybe, just maybe, I don't really know what I'm doing.

Yeah, my thoughts, as well.  Folks at the lottery don't know their odds.
Oh, well.  Happens to the best of us.


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© Copyright 2013 Brett Paufler


Please Note: I am an idiot.  No seriously.  The odds of my gambling odds calculations being correct are likely on par with my odds of ever winning.  You have been warned.