Understanding the Odds: Why Any Set of Numbers Can Win the EuroMillions Jackpot — Even 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Stars 6 and 7

The EuroMillions lottery, with its massive jackpots and worldwide participation, stirs up excitement, hope, and speculation. Players carefully choose their numbers, hoping to defy the odds and win life-changing sums of money. Some select their numbers based on birthdays, anniversaries, or other personal significance, while others rely on quick picks or random selections. However, amidst all this number-picking strategy, one thing is certain: in a truly random draw, any combination of numbers has the same chance of winning, no matter how unlikely it seems.

Take, for example, the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and stars 6, 7. It might seem like an absurd choice—too neat, too predictable, too simple. And yet, mathematically speaking, this combination has the same probability of being drawn as any other set of numbers, whether they’re randomly chosen or appear to have no discernible pattern.

This article will explore the mathematics behind lotteries like EuroMillions, explain why every combination is equally likely, and clarify why seemingly “unlikely” sets of numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7 could, with enough time and draws, appear with the same frequency as any other sequence.

The Nature of Randomness: All Numbers Are Created Equal

At the core of any lottery, including EuroMillions, is the concept of randomness. When numbers are drawn in a lottery, they are selected without any bias, memory, or preference. This means that each number has an equal chance of being drawn, regardless of what numbers were drawn in the past or how frequently certain numbers appear. This is the very definition of randomness.

In EuroMillions, the game involves selecting five main numbers from a pool of 50 and two additional numbers (known as “Lucky Stars”) from a separate pool of 12. The goal is to match all five main numbers and the two stars to win the jackpot.

The sheer number of possible combinations is staggering. The total number of combinations for EuroMillions is calculated by multiplying the possible choices for each number:

• For the five main numbers, there are 50 options, but once a number is chosen, it cannot be selected again, meaning the next number has 49 options, then 48, 47, and 46. The result is a total of 2,118,760 possible combinations of the five main numbers alone.
• For the two Lucky Stars, since there are 12 options, but no repetition, the total number of combinations is 12 × 11, or 132.

Multiplying these together, we find that the total number of possible EuroMillions combinations is 139,838,160. That means, in every draw, any one of these 139 million combinations has the exact same chance of being drawn.

The Myth of “Unlikely” Numbers

Despite this, many players believe that certain combinations of numbers—like the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5—are less likely to appear than a more “random” set like 7, 19, 23, 35, 44. But this belief is a misconception rooted in human psychology rather than mathematical reality.

When people think about randomness, they often expect numbers to appear in a way that looks disordered, spread out, and unpredictable. Seeing a set of numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 doesn’t fit that expectation. It seems too structured to be random. However, in the world of probability, patterns or sequences have no bearing on the randomness of a draw. Whether the numbers follow a recognizable pattern or not, the fact remains that they are all equally likely to be drawn.

Why 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Is Just as Likely

The sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7, might feel “wrong” or “impossible,” but its probability of being drawn is the same as any other set of numbers—1 in 139,838,160. There is no mathematical law that states random sequences must look random to be random. Randomness is indifferent to human expectations.

So, if we took two different sequences—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7, and 5, 12, 25, 33, 49, stars 2 and 9—they both have the exact same probability of winning. The human brain tends to assign meaning to patterns, making 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seem “impossible,” but mathematically, the lottery machine doesn’t care about the sequence.

In fact, the lottery machine treats every number equally—whether it’s 1 or 50, they all have an equal chance of being selected. Similarly, combinations like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7, 13, 29, 41, 48 are just as likely to occur as each other.

Randomness Over Time: Any Sequence Can and Will Appear

Given enough time and draws, every possible sequence will eventually appear. This is the principle of large numbers. If there were an infinite number of EuroMillions draws, every possible combination of numbers—no matter how unlikely or strange it appears—would be drawn with the same frequency as every other combination.

Let’s take the example of coin flips. If you flip a coin once, the probability of landing on heads is 50%, and the same for tails. However, if you flip that coin 100 times, the results will vary more, and you might end up with a higher count of heads than tails, or vice versa. But if you flip the coin thousands or millions of times, the ratio will approach 50:50. This is because the law of large numbers says that the greater the number of trials, the closer the results will reflect true probability.

The same applies to EuroMillions. If you draw numbers once a week for a hundred years, you’re still only scratching the surface of the possibilities. Over hundreds of thousands or millions of draws, every combination—whether 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7, or any other set—will eventually have appeared multiple times.

Perceptions of Randomness: The Human Mind vs. Probability

The human brain is wired to seek patterns, even where none exist. This is known as apophenia, the tendency to perceive connections or patterns in random data. In the case of lotteries, people often think that a sequence like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 can’t possibly be drawn because it’s “too obvious.” But randomness, by definition, does not follow human intuition.

This misconception also leads people to believe in “hot” and “cold” numbers, or the idea that certain numbers are “due” to be drawn because they haven’t appeared recently. But in a random draw, each number is independent of previous results, meaning past draws have no influence on future outcomes.

If 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7 have never been drawn in the history of EuroMillions, that doesn’t mean they are any less likely to appear in the next draw than any other sequence. Each set of numbers starts with the same probability every time.

Conclusion: The Power of Probability

The EuroMillions lottery, like all lotteries, is governed by randomness and probability, not patterns or “likely” numbers. While some combinations may feel more or less likely to the human mind, the reality is that every possible combination, no matter how unusual or structured it appears, has the same chance of winning.

Whether you pick 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, stars 6 and 7, or a completely random assortment of numbers, your odds of winning remain the same: 1 in 139,838,160. While these odds are slim, they are fair and apply equally to every combination.

The next time you select your EuroMillions numbers, remember that randomness is not influenced by human perceptions of order or chaos. Any number can win, and with enough draws, every combination will eventually have its day. So, whether you’re choosing meaningful numbers or relying on the seemingly impossible, the odds remain equal, and any set of numbers could be the winning one.