EXCLUSIVE OFFER

SilverSands Casino: Get R400 Free Bonus

  1. Online Casino /
  2. Gambling News /
  3. Lotto Number Trends: The Most Common Numbers to Play

Lotto Number Trends: The Most Common Numbers to Play

Written by

Kelvin Jones
clockReading time 4 minread

People who play the lotto can be broken down into two categories – those who let Lady Luck decide their fate by selecting randomly drawn numbers and those who pick their own numbers. While it is perfectly understandable (given that lotteries are the definitive games of chance) to choose the former, we’re only interested in the latter. More specifically, we’re interested in the most common lottery numbers and what drives people to select them.

For some, choosing birthdays, dates, telephone numbers, or other numbers that are significant to them is the way to go. They have a strict set of numbers, and they stick with them. For other players, they will pick numbers based on their frequency of appearing in draws, so-called hot and cold numbers, or they’ll select the most popular numbers.

What does this mean, though? Join us as we explore the most common lotto numbers and explain why people just love to play lottery games with them.

The Most Drawn Numbers

It is worth noting that the term “most popular numbers” may mean several things. On the one hand, we could be talking about the numbers selected by most players – in short, the ones they have in common. However, we may also be talking about the “most popular numbers” in terms of their appearances (or lack of them) in a draw.

We’ll define them like so:

  • Most Common Numbers: These are numbers that appear regularly in draws. They tend to show up more often than not. The only scientific and mathematical reason for this is pure happenstance and chance. However, people who believe in the power of numbers (numerologists) may see these regularly appearing numbers as a sign that you should go with them.
  • Most Popular Numbers: These are the most popular among players. For instance, seven being a universally lucky number, many players share that number in common on their tickets. Therefore, seven is deemed to be a popular number.

Next, let’s look at some raw data from recent studies to see how hot and cold numbers work.

Hot and Cold Numbers

Hot and cold numbers aren’t unique to lotteries. They can appear in many number-betting games, including craps and, more commonly, roulette. Hot and cold numbers are often used by bettors who believe in numbers. Here’s what they mean:

  • Hot Numbers: The same as the “most common numbers” defined above. They are the numbers that most frequently show up in draws.
  • Cold Numbers: By contrast, cold numbers are those that haven’t shown up regularly or haven’t appeared for a long time. They may also be called “overdue numbers”.

According to a recent study that took in various worldwide lotteries, the most common numbers appearing in lotteries might surprise you. Here are their findings:


Lottery NumberNumber of Times Drawn
1st5299
2nd3688
3rd5888
4th3987
5th3786
6th885
7th2784
8th5483
9th4282
10th4581

Sadly, each list will need context. You’ll need to find out how many lotteries were recorded to determine the stats and which ones. However, you get the idea that some numbers appear more frequently than others. Moreover, there isn’t a seven in the top ten drawn numbers.

Of course, these stats will continually change with each new draw, so it is important to stay abreast of the situation from week to week if you intend on playing commonly drawn or hot numbers on the lotto. 

Other Ways to Pick Numbers

There are other ways to pick lottery numbers, too. As mentioned, you’ve got cold numbers. Aside from hot and cold numbers, any of the following ways may suffice for lottery players interested in lists:

  • Least Picked: The least chosen numbers amongst most tickets or the least commonly occurring numbers in draws.
  • Most Picked: The most popular numbers appearing on most tickets or the most common numbers in draws.
  • Most Common Pairs: The two numbers that statistically appear together the most in lottery draws.
  • Most Common Consecutive Pairs: A pair of two sequential numbers appear together the most in lottery draws.
  • Most Common Triplet: The three numbers that statistically appear the most in lottery draws.
  • Most Common Consecutive Triplets: A pair of three numbers that are sequential and appear together the most in lottery draws.

We’ve taken some data (of the most popular numbers) from a study for South Africa’s National Lottery to showcase better what we mean:

Type of Number(s)Number DrawnNumber of Times Drawn
Least Picked4046
Most Picked1475
Most Common Pairs13, 2516
Most Common Consecutive Pairs13, 1412
Most Common Triplet5, 14, 524
Most Common Consecutive Triplets11, 12, 131

Important Things to Remember About Common Lotto Numbers

You should remember that lotteries are games of chance – the ultimate games of chance, for that matter. Before you bet on lottos, it is worth noting these observations. 

  • Lotteries are pure games of chance. Any numbers can appear. You have just as much chance of winning with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 as you do with 2, 8, 16, 23, 30, 48. The latter seems to be the most common number combo for South African bettors.
  • Lotto stats are just that, stats. They showcase what “has” happened but not “will” happen. Don’t take them at face value. They cannot guarantee wins.
  • If you do choose to pick your numbers, whatever you do, stick with them, and don’t miss a draw. Nothing will break your heart faster than seeing your regular numbers come up, and you’ve either changed them or not bothered to play.
  • Be careful when looking at lotto stats. Not every number listed will feature in your lottery game. For instance, 58 appears in our table above, but it isn’t common to many worldwide lottos. Try to use stats that are relevant to your national lottery.

Should I Bet on the Lotto with Common Numbers?

Ultimately, given how lotteries are games of chance, it doesn’t scientifically or mathematically matter which numbers you pick or how. They all have the same chance of being drawn. However, since you still need to come up with a set of numbers for your lottery ticket anyway, choosing between hot, cold, random, or significant numbers is equally as good a way to do it as any other.

Kelvin Jones

Kelvin JonesVerified

Senior Editor & Product Owner

email

When he was still at varsity, Kelvin started out as a freelance writer for random online gambling sites. That’s until he chanced on PlayCasino and became one of our lead writers – a whole decade ago – and an expert on the fastest-paying online casinos. Since then, Kelvin has been one of the most instrumental personalities in shaping South Africa’s online gambling landscape.

continue readingRight-pointing Arrow Icon
Expert on:
  • checkiGaming
  • checkProduct Development
Clock Icon 4 min read

Get in on the action

Sign up now for the latest bonuses, promotions, and new online casinos.

By subscribing you confirm you are over 18 years old and agree to receive casino offers via email. You can unsubscribe at any given time. Please read the Privacy and Cookie Policies for

Submit
Close Icon

Have You Found What You're Looking for?

Your feedback is paramount!

As Seen On:
  • The guardian logo
  • Cnbcadrica logo
  • E play africa logo
  • Endorphina logo
  • Sigma logo
  • Thunderbolt casino logo

Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.

Phone Icon Helpline: 0800 006 008

PlayCasino aims to provide our readers with clear and reliable information on the best online casinos and sportsbooks for South African players.

Although our reviews and articles are expertly written and regularly updated, they are here to provide information and are not applicable as legal advice.

Keep in mind that local regulatory requirements exist.
Make sure you know what these requirements are before signing up to an online casino or sportsbook.

While we do our best to keep information current, promotions, bonuses and conditions, such as wagering requirements, can change without notice.
If you encounter a different offer from the ones we advertise, please contact our team.


Advertising Disclosure: playcasino.co.za contains paid links to our partner affiliates.
If a user visiting our site clicks on any of these paid links and makes a purchase from our partner, playcasino.co.za will get paid a commission.


© PlayCasino All rights reserved

Marketing Performance Media Limited BVI Company number: 2028811

Copyright © 2009-2023

  • 18+
  • South African Responsible Gambling Foundation
  • Gauteng Gambling Board
  • National Gambling Board South Africa
  • Casino Association of South Africa
  • Co2 neutral icon
DMCA.com Protection Status
Privacy Preference Center

Our site uses cookies to personalize content just for you. By agreeing, you're letting us tailor your experience. Because we value your privacy, you can click on the segments below to edit your cookie choices. If you opt out of certain cookies, be aware that it could influence the way you experience our site and the quality of services we offer. Learn more in our Cookie Policy & Privacy Policy.