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Should You Use the Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Theory or Not?

In a tireless search for the secret to breaking the lottery secrets, people invest their money in theories they created themselves or popular ones. The hot and cold lottery numbers theory is one of the most common applications. Its purpose involves deciphering the next winning combination, and many of our users have been asking us if that theory really does work.

With so many lottery strategies and theories to apply out there, it is normal to be eager to discover what works the best for you. Once and for all, we will settle the questions connected to the lottery theory of hot and cold numbers.

What Is the Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Theory?

The hot and cold lottery numbers theory uses the frequency of the numbers drawn in the last drawings to classify them as hot or cold. Hot numbers are those that have been drawn more times in a given and preferably long timeframe. On the other side, cold numbers are comparably less frequent.

That classification is the foundation of the hold and cold lottery numbers theory, but there are several ways of applying them. One variation of the theory says that the most frequent numbers will appear more times, while another one identifies the cold numbers as the next future trend.

Why Is It so Popular?

Any theory that supposedly shows a way to discover the next winning combination becomes popular among lottery players. This particular theory has a very special appeal because it uses the most common winning numbers to determine the next results.

The hot and cold lottery numbers theory connects with a common cognitive bias that leads us to think that there are things like lucky numbers. At least, that is how it works if you believe that no supernatural or non-scientific source can influence the numbers.

Important: The Probability of Hot and Cold Numbers Vs. Frequency

Some people want to apply the theory to the overall frequency of numbers, ignoring that the long term is not useful for lottery playing. If we look at an example of frequency in a popular game, we can understand how it is not a synonym of hot and cold numbers.

When we check the US Powerball results since its creation, there are numbers that were drawn up to almost 8x more often than the less common numbers.

The graphic distribution below will help you understand the representation of the 5 hottest and the 5 coldest numbers in 3,125 drawings:

Probability of Hot and Cold Numbers Vs. Frequency

You can see that the 5 hottest numbers share a similar occurrence of a bit more than 17% of all the drawings. On the other hand, the less common numbers appeared in only 2.4% to 2.8% of all drawings. Surprisingly enough, they are all 60s, and there is not a single number from 60 among the top 20 hottest Powerball numbers.

While math says that every number has the same odds of appearing in a draw, that demonstration is enough for some people to believe that they have figured how the theory works. In the specific case of Powerball, numbers from 60 would be avoided because they are cold and almost never appear in a drawing. Surprise: the game changed its format in 2012, and that is why using the frequency would result in a biased theory.

Now, if we look at the truly hot and cold numbers from the last 20 drawings before January 16, 2022, the hottest numbers were 33, 3, 2, 6, 21, and 59. None of them are among the most frequent numbers. In fact, 26 and 41 were among the numbers without a single appearance, and the numbers over 60 were found in a mid-range.

Aware of the numbers that truly matter for this strategy, let’s understand how to use the hot and cold lottery numbers theory.

How to Use the Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Theory?

One of the catchiest features of broad lottery theories, like the one on hot and cold lottery numbers, is that you have infinite ways of using that information. While it seems obvious to avoid 60+ numbers in Powerball for those who follow the theory, there might not be any clear sign in another game.

Buy Hot Numbers Only

The most common application of the hot and cold lottery numbers theory is to play the hottest numbers alone. You can create a straightforward game with the first numbers in terms of drawn frequency or mix several of them and play all those combinations.

Example of application:

You visit the page of the Cash4Life results and discover that the hottest numbers are:

58 – 19 – 13 – 29 – 33 – 34

Being a 5/60 game, you could generate the following combinations:

  • 13 – 19 – 29 – 33 – 34
  • 13 – 19 – 29 – 33 – 58
  • 13 – 19 – 29 – 34 – 58
  • 13 – 19 – 33 – 34 – 58
  • 13 – 29 – 33 – 34 – 58
  • 19 – 29 – 33 – 34 – 58

Since there is a Powerball in addition to the regular numbers, you could choose one that appeared the most or play all the possibilities for each combination.

Buy Cold Numbers Only

There is another line of thought deriving from the hot and cold lottery numbers theory that tends to value cold numbers. According to the latest drawings, you would pick those numbers that appeared the least because their chance of appearing now would be greater.

Example of application:

After only 5 minutes of checking the Euromillions results, you came up with the following cold numbers from the last 20 drawings:

10, 5, 27, 40, 24, 16, 45, 8, 3, 13, and 39.

By expanding it to 30 drawings, we reduce that long pool of numbers to the following:

5 – 8 – 16 – 23 – 47

In the case of Euromillions, you also have two special numbers. Therefore, one single game would generate several combinations to cover all the “Lucky Stars”.

Combination of Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers

Since it is not possible to know who is right about the best way to apply the hot and cold lottery numbers theory, some people join the best of both worlds. The combination method combines hot and cold numbers as shown below:

A quick look at the Lotto Texas results showed the following hot and cold numbers, respectively:

  • Hot: 1, 33, 42, 39, 32, 51, 41, and 53.
  • Cold: 48, 54, 3, 45, and 43.

Considering that you want to play half of the 6 necessary numbers with each, some of the possible tickets would be:

  • 1 – 3 – 33 – 43 – 51 – 54
  • 32 – 33 – 39 – 43 – 45 – 48
  • 3 – 39 – 43 – 45 – 51 – 53

That is when it becomes clear that there is no limit for what the theory of hot and cold lottery numbers can generate in terms of combinations. Still, it reduces the pool of possibilities – although it is possible that the drawn numbers stay in the excluded.

Mixed Strategies

Finally, aside from what you can do by simply mixing hot and cold numbers, you can use other strategies with it. For example, separating from the hottest numbers the odd and even numbers or high and low numbers to equally distribute them in your games.

Again, that could reduce the pool of numbers that you will play if you eliminate those that you believe will not occur – such as high-only results. You can get inspired by checking our list of lottery strategies. Before you do that, let’s dive a bit more into the theory of the hot and cold lottery numbers to figure out if you should finally use it.

Is the Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Theory Wrong?

From a mathematical point of view, any lottery is a game of pure chance. In other words, the randomness of the drawings makes it impossible to preview the next numbers based on the past lottery results. Therefore, it does not matter if the number appears a lot or almost never. Every new drawing is a new equal chance to all of them.

On the other hand, you can believe that there are more things going on in this world that our logic can determine. In the case that you disregard what science and mathematics can infer with our current knowledge, you can believe that some numbers are more prone than others.

We know from the results that you cannot guarantee that your ticket or anyone else’s will win. That applies not only to this theory but to all others, at least that we know of.

Therefore, believing that the hot and cold numbers can determine the next drawing results is wrong indeed, from the logical point of view. If there is more to it like some people believe, then it would not be wrong.

Should You Use the Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Theory?

You should use the hot and cold lottery numbers theory or any other theory if that is how you feel comfortable playing the lottery online or at local retailers. Your odds will be exactly the same for random Quick Picks, hot numbers, or a combination of hot and cold numbers with any other strategy.

The only thing that you should not do is to believe so much in a theory that you put more money than it would be reasonable. As long as you keep playing responsibly, you are doing what is necessary to become the next lottery winner.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There can be advantages and disadvantages in the application of any lottery theory that reduces the pool of possibilities. In the specific case of the hot and cold lottery numbers theory, the benefits are:

  • You will have a clear line of thought to pick numbers.
  • It can be fun to generate combinations with a purpose.
  • Reduction of a pool of numbers that can reach hundreds of millions of combinations.

There are also some disadvantages that are common to this theory, and you should be aware of them:

  • Risk of playing the same numbers as other players.
  • Consciously removing from the equation numbers that can be drawn.
  • Spending time on something that cannot be proved.

Balance them according to how much you believe that you should use the hot and cold lottery numbers theory.

How to Play Hot and Cold Lottery Numbers Strategically?

Given that any combination of numbers has the exact same chance of being drawn, that does not mean the strategy does not matter. If you play a combination that has a big chance of being used by other players, such as the hottest or the coldest numbers, you will end up sharing your prize.

It is perfectly fine to share the prize when that is a result of improving your odds, such as getting in group play. If you still do not know what a lottery syndicate is, you should definitely look into it. Now, playing combinations that get popular because of that theory will not improve your odds and result in a much less appealing prize.

Therefore, the best strategy to use the hot and cold lottery numbers theory is to mix strategies and result in combinations that others are less likely to use. That way, you apply the theory that you want to try and do not risk sharing the jackpot.

Games That Do Not Go Well With the Hot and Cold Numbers Strategy

Powerball, Euromillions, Cash4Life, and dozens of other games found on the best lottery sites to play online will work fine with this theory. On the other hand, there are games in which using the hot and cold lottery numbers theory makes no sense at all. Those are the games with a limited pool of numbers, such as any Pick 3 or Pick 4 game.

If you can only pick numbers from 0 to 9 and each number can be drawn more than once, it would be a waste of time. For those games, prefer strategies like the Wheeling System or a specific Pick system.

The Verdict

Only you can determine if you should use the hot and cold lottery numbers theory or not. According to math and how lottery games demonstrably work, there is nothing related to the frequency in the last drawings that could possibly impact the newest drawings. That said, you can still believe that unknown forces can lead to certain results.

If you make that option, keep in mind that you should never go too simple and use the hottest or the coldest numbers alone. Although that would not impact your odds, you would share the prize with dozens of other people who had the same idea with the same data. Always mix your strategies, and you will still have as many chances as anyone else.

FAQs

How to Find the Hot and Cold Numbers of a Lottery Game?
Open the lottery results of a game through the “World lotteries” menu section. You will find the past results and compare them to figure out the numbers that appeared the most and the least. They are the hottest and the coldest numbers, respectively.
What Is the Best Game to Use the Hot and Cold Numbers Theory?
As long as you are having fun or find the jackpot interesting enough, any game that has a considerable pool of numbers will do.
How Many Tickets Do You Need to Apply This Lottery Theory?
You can apply this theory to a single lottery ticket or hundreds of them. That is up to you.
Is This Theory Compatible With Quick Picks?
You would need to review the quickly picked numbers to see if they match your strategy, and that would only take more of your time.
Who Created the Hot and Cold Lottery Theory?
That information is not truly known, and we can agree that it is a very logic-biased line of thought that could come to anyone playing the lottery.

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