• Articles

California Lottery Odds: Maximize Your Chances of Winning

Face it, we all know the real American dream is winning the lottery, and we all feel like that is an impossible feat. But a bit of research and information may up your California Lottery odds a little, even if you have never won anything before. There are multiple people out there who have won the lottery more than once, and who can say that luck was the only influence? Maybe you can be the next one to buy a beautiful La Jolla home.

What Are the Odds of Winning the California Lottery?

The odds of winning the California Lottery depend on which state-specific game you are playing. If you are playing the California State Super Lotto, and are following the California lottery results closely, then you may be interested in knowing that the odds of winning (at the time of this writing) are 1 in 18 million. The odds of winning the lottery in general are 1 in 15 million, and the odds of winning the California Lottery are around 1 in 14 million.

Strategies to Improve Your Odds

It’s not called a “game of chance” for nothing – but there are certain strategies you can put into place that may boost your odds of winning the California lottery.  Here are a few tips that might put Lady Luck on your side:

• Buy Better Odds: It’s just common sense that the more tickets you buy, the more chances you have of winning the jackpot.  
• Try Your Luck With Different Games:  Try playing less popular lotto games because popular games like the Mega Millions or PowerBall are already saturated with loads of other players. Picking lesser-known games could increase your odds because fewer people are playing them.
• Diversify Your Number Picks: Many people choose to use birthdates or other calendar-based dates for prime lotto numbers. That’s understandable, but that limits the diversity of numbers.  Instead, play a range of different numbers to potentially enhance your California lottery odds. 
• Check Your Number Sum: After you pick your numbers, add them all up to get the total.  You’re looking for an overall sum that lands between around 89 – 152. It’s might sound outlandish, but lotto experts have observed better winning odds when the sum of numbers falls within this range.
• Ditch the Quick Pick: There’s no clear evidence that automated quick pick numbers are losers – but experts say it’s best to pick your own numbers rather than leave fate to machine-generated numbers.

Speaking of numbers, which ones are better than others? What about odds, evens, high, or low numbers? Here are some tips for picking the best numbers to enhance your chances of winning the lottery. 

Odd-Even Lotto Number Tips

Statistically speaking, winning lotto tickets tend to be a mix between even and odd numbers.  That means the winning numbers probably won’t turn out to be all odd or even. Consequently, pick numbers that are a good split between even and odd numbers.

High-Low Lotto Number Tips

We talked about diversifying your number choices – and that includes picking an array of high and low numbers.  Lotto researchers suggest that  California lottery best odds increase by 68% if you have a combination of high and low numbers.  Use the 3/2 or 2/3 guide, which is: Pick three odd numbers and two even numbers (3/2), or pick two odd numbers and three even numbers (2/3).    

Which Lottery Has the Best Odds in California?

So, which lottery has the best odds in California? The CA Lottery Fantasy 5 lottery in California, at the time of this article being published, has the best odds in the California lottery. The odds of winning the Fantasy 5 jackpot are 1 in just under 600,000. However, if you are going for the big money in California, your best bet is the California Super Lotto Plus. With the California lottery results, the odds of winning with a ticket from the California Super Lotto Plus lottery is 1 in 42 million. 

Does California Have the Second Chance Lottery?

California is one of the few states to offer what is known as the Second Chance Lottery. With the Second Chance Lottery, your non-winning ticket can still win you money. When you find out your California lottery results with the CA lottery winning numbers, you can enter into the Second Chance lottery. With the SuperLotto Plus Second Chance, every $1.00 you spend on a ticket gives you one entry into that week’s second chance drawing. For scratchers, the entry amount is the same, one entry for every $1.00 spent on tickets. And for the Fantasy 5 lottery, for every $5.00 you spend is an entry into the California Lottery Second Chance Lottery. This may be the way you become one of the many California Lottery winners.

Trends in Lotto

As of 2024, around 43% of adult Californians play the lottery, bringing in roughly 8  billion dollars for the state each year. While that might seem like hefty competition, we’ve researched a few trends that might help you win the jackpot. 

Following the Trends to Increase Your Odds

• Play With Pals: This isn’t necessarily a new trend, but pooling your money with a group of people has been known to increase your odds of winning. The more tickets purchased, the higher the chance of getting the big bucks. 
• Online Lotto & Mobile Apps:  Playing the lottery online is a big trend, and it could pay to follow it.  In fact, lottery winnings have increased by over 300% since the inception of online lottery and the use of lotto mobile phone apps.
• Try Scratchoffs:  Sales (and winnings) from scratch lotto tickets have increased significantly over the past few years.  Consequently, you can press your luck by tapping into the scratch-off market to increase your odds of winning.

Where Are the Most Winning Lottery Tickets Sold in California?

Port Hueneme California, which is a very small suburb of Los Angeles, houses what is reputed to be one of the most celebrated lottery retailers in the whole state of California. This market boasts over 400 winning tickets per week, and at the time of this publication, had sold six tickets in six years that were worth over one million dollars. Most Californians are paying close attention to California lottery results from this location.

Another winning shop in California is the Bluebird Liquor store in Hawthorne. At the time of this publication, the celebrated neighborhood liquor store had sold four tickets in six years that were each worth over one million dollars. This data is put together by companies that analyze customer experience analytics, so you can rest assured these snippets are based on data and not just speculation.

Shop Our Selection of Local Coffee from Dark Horse Coffee Roasters

Which Lottery Scratch Cards are Best?

If you’re curious about California lottery scratchers, the best odds (most frequent winners) are something to consider. Here are the most winningest scratch cards in California as of 2024: 

• California 200X (1 in 2.71 odds) 
• Crossword Xtreme (1 in 2.72 odds)
• Millionaire Maker (1 in 2.83 odds)
• $1,000,000 California Road Trip Riches (1 in 2.92 odds)
• 2024 (1 in 3 odds)
• Year of Fortune (1 in 3 odds)

Getting Lucky in Lotto

Striking it rich by playing the lotto can be an exciting, fun pastime.  As we’ve discussed, it can also mean a huge payoff if you play your numbers right.  Here are a few additional tips for getting lucky in the lotto.

Cashing in on the Luck of Others

We touched on this earlier, but you can elevate your California lottery odds by playing with a group of others.  More tickets purchased means more potential opportunities to win. A word of warning, however – play with folks you trust. Make sure your money goes towards the purchase price of tickets, and even consider drawing up some type of written agreement that clearly defines how winnings should be split among players in your pool.

Maintaining a Positive Attitude

If you keep playing without results, it can be frustrating.  Don’t let that anxiety compromise your quality of life.  Remember – playing the lotto is supposed to be enjoyable.  Savor the thrill of the gamble, embrace the possibilities of winning, and keep a positive attitude.  Also, remember that a significant portion of the money spent on lottery tickets goes towards necessary state institutions such as improving California schools.  If a losing streak is compromising your life or triggering you into a tailspin of the blues – it might be time to take a break. Just pay attention to how you’re feeling and stay upbeat when leveraging California lottery odds.

Claiming a Lottery Prize

When you see the California lottery post and determine that you are a lucky lotto winner in California, after watching the California lottery results, there are multiple ways to claim your prize. If the winning ticket is $599 or less, your best option is to visit any California lottery retailer. This will get you your cash on the spot without any forms or fees. Any prizes for $600 and over require a claim form. You can download the claim form online, complete it (depending on whether you are an individual winner or a group winner), and then turn the claim form into the district office. Visiting your local California Lottery District Office is your best bet; however, if it is not possible for you to visit the office, you can send your claim form in by certified mail.  Just remember to always check your tickets because you don’t want to be in a situation like that unclaimed SuperLotto ticket in California scenario.

Can a Lottery Winner Remain Anonymous in California?

While some states allow you to conceal your name when you win the lottery, California does not. If you win the lottery in California, your name will automatically be published, as well as the location where the winning ticket was bought. However, you can choose how much publicity you get. If you do win the lottery you are not required to do any press, news articles, or any of the like.  Even celebrities in San Diego will be called out publicly if they win the California lottery.

Will You Be California’s Next Big Winner?

Winning the lottery isn’t out of everyone’s grasp. With a few tweaks to your lottery ticket-buying routine, you can tweak your odds enough to make it more likely that you will win, even if it is just by a bit. Do not rely on your own luck when it comes to the lottery, as the stakes are just too high. Use these tips and tricks to turn the odds closer to your favor, and let us know when you do finally win!

About the author: When not hiding behind a laptop, Cara Becker can be found asleep or exploring the wide world of interesting things, like how to bake the perfect cheesecake and where to find the best waterfalls. If you’re interested in exploring a food you’ve never tried or learning a word you don’t know, please share your wisdom with her on her LinkedIn profile.

Note: Playing the lottery is meant to be an enjoyable entertainment.  However, if lottery play is consuming your life or the life of someone you care about, please seek help by dialing the  U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hotline at 988.

Shop La Jolla Artwork