Consecutive Block Analysis

One interesting insight about number composition is consecutive numbers such as 1-2-3-4-5-6. Most players feel that such patterns are not likely to happen, but examining their real distribution can give a better idea about lottery probability. Our Consecutive Block Analysis Calculator evaluates the distribution of consecutive number groups and their corresponding frequencies so you can see how your lottery game would play out theoretically.

This calculator covers full sequence consecutive selections as well as fractional blocks, which provides a statistically based view of how your lottery game performs in the long term according to the law of large numbers.

Ready to see why 1-2-3-4-5-6 sequences are unlikely to happen in a lottery draw? Begin analyzing now.

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Consecutive Lottery Numbers: A Pattern to Consider Twice

Perhaps the most famous and most frequently quoted example of a sequence of consecutive number combination is the 1-2-3-4-5-6 combination. This sequence of numbers has become symbolic of lottery fallacies and misconceptions. In an article by The Guardian, it is estimated that some 10,000 players select this exact combination in each major draw. If this exact sequence of numbers were ever to be drawn, the prize fund for it would be paid out to so many winners that each would gain a relatively modest sum. In effect, the "jackpot" for it would be more of a token payout.

But consecutive numbers are not limited to this infamous set. They can occur in other sequences, for instance:

Two groups of three consecutive numbers: 1-2-3 and 40-41-42
There are three sets of two consecutive numbers: 1-2, 30-31, and 50-51
Three groups of consecutive numbers in short succession: 11-12, 15-16, 18-19
Two overlapping triplets within a shared range: 30-31-32 and 37-38-39
A longer consecutive sequence in the set: 1 and 66-67-68-69

These types of mixtures are rare in that they appear to be patterned and orderly — something that the human brain finds itself attracted to. But there is a catch: randomness does not favor order. The lottery is a pure game of chance, not aesthetics.

All the combinations are equally probable. But that is not the whole story Yes, mathematically, all sets of numbers drawn in a lottery drawing are equally probable. What that implies, however, is that 1-2-3-4-5-6 is as likely to be drawn as some set of randomly dispersed numbers. But there is a basic probability law that enables us to comprehend this equality in an even deeper way: the Law of Truly Large Numbers (LTLN).

According to this law, anything with a non-zero chance — however improbable or bizarre — will occur eventually if you have abundant opportunities. In the context of the lottery, this abundant opportunities refer to a large number of draws. It would indicate that odd patterns like mirror numbers, straight runs, or palindromes can, and occasionally will, occur. They are not impossible — but very unlikely. Just because they are not impossible, does not mean that you should bet on them.

What Smart Players Do: Obey the Law of Large Numbers

This is where we bring in the Law of Large Numbers (LLN), a more useful concept for a strategic lotto player. Unlike the LTLN, which informs us about why weird things must happen sooner or later, the LLN informs us that with sufficient number of draws, the result of random events will fall into probable distributions by default. See The Lottery Formula: Combinatorics and Probability at Work.

For example, in thousands of lottery drawings, certain combinatorial compositions (e.g., balanced odd/even or low/high numbers) appear more frequently than others. That is because those compositions dominate the total space of possible outcomes. Highly patterned sets like consecutive sequences represents a thin slice of the total probability outcomes.

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Unusual consecutive patterns are extremely improbable because they simply don't reflect how randomness is likely to occur over the course of time.

How to Deal with Consecutive Patterns

If you wish to play intelligently, your aim is to make choices that aligns with probability and avoid choices that are convenient to remember. Limit your combination to a maximum of two consecutive numbers or one with none at best.

Curious which group of combinations are most likely to occur more frequently within the parameters of randomness? Read How to Win the Lottery: The Math No One Talks About (No Hype).

Explore Interesting Topics About Lottery Randomness