Common Mistakes New Lottery Players Make (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Believing a number is “due”

The most common mistake of all. If a number hasn’t come up for weeks, it feels like it must be about to. But the balls have no memory: a number that has been missing for 30 draws has exactly the same chance next time as one that appeared yesterday.

Instead: treat every draw as a fresh start. Past results are a record, not a guide.

2. Chasing patterns, hot numbers and “systems”

Charts of hot and cold numbers, wheeling systems and prediction software all promise an edge. None can deliver one, because the odds are fixed by the rules of the game. A system can change which numbers you play, but never how likely they are to be drawn.

Instead: pick numbers however you enjoy, and never pay for “winning numbers” or a “guaranteed system”. Nobody can predict a random draw.

3. Thinking more tickets fix the odds

More tickets with different numbers do raise your chance, but only in proportion, and the cost rises in step. In Lotto, with 6 numbers from 52, there are 20,358,520 possible combinations. Here is what extra tickets do to your jackpot chance:

Even 100 tickets leaves the chance at roughly 1 in 203,585. Our odds guide shows the figures for every game.

Instead: decide what you’re happy to spend first, and buy within that limit. Don’t buy extra tickets to “improve your chances”.

4. Playing without a budget

A ticket is a small purchase for the fun of taking part. The mistake is playing without a limit, so the spending creeps up. With draws throughout the week, and the temptation of a big rollover, it’s easy to lose track. Our guide to a responsible lottery budget goes into more detail.

Instead: pick an amount you’d happily lose, treat it as the cost of entertainment, and stop when it’s gone. Never borrow to play, and never use money you need for essentials.

5. Chasing losses

After a run of losing tickets it’s tempting to play more to “win it back”. But each draw is independent, so previous losses don’t make a win more likely, and spending more only makes the loss bigger.

Instead: when your budget is spent, stop. If you notice you can’t, that’s a sign to ask for support (see the end of this page).

6. Thinking a big rollover improves your odds

A growing jackpot is exciting, but it’s a bigger prize, not a better chance. Your odds are the same on a R5 million jackpot as on a R50 million one. Rollovers happen when nobody wins the top division in a draw. In our archive, nobody won the top division in:

These figures describe the draws in our archive and say nothing about future draws.

Instead: don’t let a big headline number change how much you spend.

7. Confusing the games and checking the wrong draw

South Africa has several games, and some share a name or run on the same night. Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max are separate draws with separate results, as are PowerBall and its add-on. Checking your Lotto numbers against a Plus 1 result is an easy mistake, and so is looking at the wrong date. Our guide to playing Lotto explains how the games differ.

Here is the latest draw we have for each game. Match the game and the date printed on your ticket before you compare numbers:

Instead: check the game, the draw date and every number, then confirm the result on the official channels.

8. Mixing up the bonus ball, or ignoring it

Some games draw an extra ball, such as a bonus ball or a PowerBall number. Two common errors: thinking the bonus ball helps you win the jackpot, and forgetting to check it at all. In Lotto the jackpot needs all of the main numbers, and the bonus ball only matters in some of the lower divisions. In PowerBall the extra number is part of the top prize, which makes the full jackpot odds longer than the main numbers alone.

It’s also why smaller matches are so much more common: in Lotto, matching exactly 3 of the 6 main numbers is about a 1 in 67.1 chance with one ticket.

Instead: check the main numbers and the extra ball, and read the official rules for how it counts.

9. Not checking tickets promptly, or not keeping them safe

An unchecked ticket can’t win anything for you, and official claim deadlines apply, so a forgotten winner may be worth nothing by the time you find it. Paper tickets also get lost, damaged or photographed and posted online, which exposes them to misuse.

Instead: sign your ticket, keep it somewhere safe, check it after the draw, and don’t post photos of it. If you think you’ve won, read how to claim a National Lottery prize or our guide to claiming smaller prizes.

10. Falling for prize scams

New players are easy targets for messages saying “you’ve won”. You can’t win a lottery you haven’t entered, and a genuine prize never requires you to pay a fee or share a PIN or one-time password. Anyone offering to claim a prize for you, or selling “guaranteed” numbers, should be treated with suspicion.

Instead: ignore unexpected winning messages, never pay to “release” winnings, and look up official contact details yourself.

A quick checklist for new players

Keep it fun, and get help if it stops being fun

The lottery is for adults aged 18 and over, and a ticket is a small bit of entertainment, not a way to make money. If playing stops being enjoyable, or spending is affecting other parts of your life, free and confidential help is available from the National Responsible Gambling Programme on 0800 006 008 (please double-check the number on their official website). Read our responsible play page

Wondering whether to choose your own numbers or use Quick Pick? See Quick Pick versus your own numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest mistake new lottery players make?

Spending more than they can comfortably afford, usually because they believe a win is “due” or that more tickets will fix the odds. A fixed budget decided in advance is the best protection.

Is it a mistake to choose my own numbers?

No. Your own numbers and Quick Pick numbers have exactly the same chance. The only practical difference is that popular choices, like birthdays, may be shared with more people if they win.

Does a bigger jackpot mean better odds?

No. A rollover makes the prize bigger, not your chance of winning it. The odds are fixed by the game’s rules.

What should I do with a ticket I forgot to check?

Check it as soon as you can against the right game and draw date, and confirm any result on the official channels. Official deadlines apply to claims, so don’t leave it.

Do I have to sign my ticket?

Signing a paper ticket and keeping it safe is sensible advice for anything valuable. Check the official rules for exactly what applies to your ticket.

Are lottery prediction services worth paying for?

No. Nobody can predict a random draw, so a service that sells “winning numbers” or “guaranteed systems” is either mistaken or a scam.

Is it a mistake to play more than one game?

Not by itself, but each extra game and ticket adds to your spending. Decide your total budget first, then choose how to use it.

Related guides

• Lottery odds explained
• How to play Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max
• PowerBall vs Lotto: how the two games compare
• Responsible lottery budget
• How to claim a National Lottery prize
• South African lottery results and ticket checker

TechChamp is an independent information site. We aren’t affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the South African National Lottery, Ithuba or any official operator, and we don’t sell tickets.