Same odds of hitting the big ticket - yup.
But, when you select a portion of the viable numbers, and wheel them - you are using chaos theory to your advantage. If I'm buying 250 tickets, and there is no pattern - then every ticket is 'random'.
However, if I opt to pick a subset of numbers, and wheel the combinations - the odds drop dramatically. Thus, the primary strategy is different. We are 'hoping' to win the big ticket - but we are playing on winning a bunch of smaller prizes; with the odds working to help sustain the 'wheel' for future drawings.
In practice, we found that we only had to pay into our wheel about 85% of the time - approximately 15% of the time, our winnings paid for the following weeks lottery.
In practice, we found that we only had to pay into our wheel about 85% of the time - approximately 15% of the time, our winnings paid for the following weeks lottery.
Interesting figure, 15%. It's pretty close to the 10.3% payback ratio on Ohio's Megamillions (I think states can pick their own prizes below the jackpot) of the prizes below $10,000. Other lotteries will be different, but I wouldn't be surprised if yours has a 15% average payout on the low prizes. Spread them out and you don't remember them. Bunch you numbers and you remember the times they cover next week's tickets.