Ever wondered where in the sequence of all possible 13,983,816 combinations your lucky lotto combination stands?

In other words, what is the lexicographical order of your combination? If we are to say, the first combination is 1;2;3;4;5;6, the second one 1;2;3;4;5;7, the third one 1;2;3;4;5;8, and so on, until combination number 13,983,816 is 44;45;46;47;48;49, where does a combination, say, 6;7;16;20;28;47 is situated? If you read our previous posts, you'd know the answer to this one (see here). But how about finding the position of any other lottery combination? Can you do it? If not, this article is for you.

Here is how to do it.

Good old Excel to the rescue. Put your combination in cells A1:F1. Combination must be ordered, with the smallest number appearing in A1 and largest in F1. Then copy and paste the formula below into H1:

=COMBIN(49,6)-IF(44-A1>0,COMBIN(49-A1,6),0)-IF(45-B1>0,COMBIN(49-B1,5),0)-IF(46-C1>0,COMBIN(49-C1,4),0)-IF(47-D1>0,COMBIN(49-D1,3),0)-IF(48-E1>0,COMBIN(49-E1,2),0)-IF(49-F1>0,COMBIN(49-F1,1),0)

Hey presto - this is the lexicographical position of your lotto combination. Easy! Play around with it, substitute numbers, see if you can find anything interesting.

Here are some of our observations:

-- Combination in the 7,777,777 position = 6;21;25;33;34;35. Is 7 your lucky number? This could be a better combination to play than all those shown here.

-- Combination in the 13,131,313 position = 18;21;22;35;41;49

-- Combination in the 13,753,587 position = 24;25;26;27;28;29. This means that there are only 230,229 combinations where the lowest number is 24. So let's say we follow strategy and always select a combination with all numbers higher than 23. If such combination is drawn, the odds that we got the jackpot is 1 in 230,229. That's very good odds. But come on, we hear you say, how often such combinations are drawn? Well, the first combination in 2010 drawn on the 2 of January had 26 as its lowest number. It happened 3 times in 2009. None in 2008 and 2007. Then twice in 2006, twice in 2005, twice in 2004... You get the drill. Not often but it does happen. You can look at it the other way - it happens not too often, so it makes sense to have at least one number lower than 24. That way you eliminate 230,229 combinations.

If you have not yet participated in our lottery syndicates, give it a go. Lexicographical, schmantastical, odds improve the more combinations you cover!