When people choose lottery numbers, they often pick their favorite numbers, or ones that have special significance to them. For example, some choose the number 10 because it is their birthday, or the number 28 because they have an attachment to a player jersey. However, there is actually no way to know whether these numbers are “lucky” or not because lottery results are entirely random.
Using combinatorics and probability, it is possible to calculate how a lottery number will perform in different scenarios. For example, if a lottery number has a high frequency, it will likely remain frequent in future draws. Hence, if you want to increase your odds of winning, choose a number that has a low frequency.
When families make their profile on NYC Housing Connect in July or August, they will be asked to select five lottery options that match their income level and family size. They will also be given a lottery number, which determines their chances of being selected for a particular unit.
The DOE originally refused to give families their lottery numbers because it argued that the numbers would not inform them about their relative chances of getting into a school, as those chances depend on the choices of other families who have chosen that school. However, the new site will allow families to see their lottery numbers and how they rank against other applicants, if they opt in to receive this information.
The system will compare students’ lottery numbers based on the first eight characters of their profiles, so that there is a 50% chance that two students in a cohort will have the same first eight characters. The system will then use these as tie-breakers.