Mega Millions
← Glossary
Past Overlap
- What it is
- A check of how many white numbers different draws have in common.
- How it is calculated
- Every draw is compared with every other draw in the selected period. For each pair we count the shared white numbers. The expected column uses the hypergeometric formula, which gives the exact chance of sharing 0, 1, 2 ... numbers.
- How to read it
- If the observed pair counts sit close to the expected counts, draws behave like fresh random draws. Pairs sharing four numbers are rare but do occur; two draws with all five white numbers equal are not expected in a game this large.
- What it can't tell you
- A combination that has come up before is no more or less likely to come up again.
- Common misunderstanding
- 'The same numbers can't win twice.' Each draw is independent of past draws.
This site does not guarantee winning. Lottery draws are random and past results do not predict future results. Every chart here describes the past. It cannot raise your chances of winning.