'I'm a lottery expert – these are the 6 ways you can increase your chances of winning' – Daily Express

Tonight’s EuroMillions draw is set to make history, with a staggering £210 million up for grabs. If a single player scoops the jackpot, it could go down as one of the biggest EuroMillions wins ever recorded. The current record stands at an eye-watering £216 million which was claimed in June by a single ticket holder from Ireland. Ireland’s National Lottery confirmed the win as the largest EuroMillions jackpot ever awarded. 
While the draw is chosen at random, there are ways of increasing your chances of winning and avoiding some common mistakes, according to Dave James, odds expert at Whataretheodds.co.uk. He said: “Tonight’s jackpot is a whopping £210m and there’s sure to be plenty of people jumping on board and buying a ticket. The draw itself is random, but how you choose your numbers isn’t. Players can reduce their chances of splitting a prize and make smarter selections simply by avoiding the most common mistakes.”
READ MORE: Winning EuroMillions numbers as huge £201m jackpot up for grabs
READ MORE: ‘I’m a betting expert and these are the five numbers you should never pick’ Some numbers show up more often than others. According to the expert, the number 3 has been drawn roughly 182 times, 2 has come up about 178 times, and 20 has appeared around 111 times. 
While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, these frequently drawn numbers or “hot numbers” are a favourite tactic for hopeful lottery players.
One common mistake mentioned by the expert is people sticking to dates like birthdays when EuroMillions numbers go up to 50. 
James said: “Many people pick numbers between 1 and 31, simply because they stick to birthdays! But the EuroMillions lets you go up to 50. By choosing higher numbers, you won’t improve your odds but you’ll reduce the chance of having to split the jackpot or prize money with others picking the same dates.”
Pooling resources with friends, family, or colleagues in a lottery syndicate allows you to buy multiple tickets and cover more number combinations. 
James added: “If you’re playing with friends, family or co-workers, a lottery syndicate is a smart move. If you all put in a few quid into the pot to buy a few tickets it increases your number coverage and boosts your overall odds, though you’ll share any winnings equally.“
Many players either pick Lucky Star numbers at random or neglect them altogether. Since you need to select two Lucky Stars between 1 and 12, choosing less common or higher Lucky Star numbers strategically could help make your ticket stand out if it wins.
Avoid patterns like all odd, all even, or consecutive numbers. Historically, a mix of three odd and two even numbers or vice versa is more common among winning tickets, increasing your chances of success.
Lastly, the expert said that while it is tempting to copy and repeat winning numbers that have been used in the past, this does not actually increase your odds since every draw is random and independent.
Plus, many others might do the same, increasing the chance of splitting any prize won using that same combination.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
SEARCH
CONNECT WITH US
TODAY’S PAPER
See today’s front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.
EXPRESS.CO.UK
Daily Express uses notifications to keep you updated

source