Lottery is one of the world’s most popular pastimes and contributes billions to the economy each year. It is, however, a game with low odds and people should play it for fun rather than hoping to win. Lottery also affects the poor disproportionately, and studies show that they use more of their income on tickets than the rich. For some, winning a jackpot can become a life-changing opportunity or even a way to escape poverty. But for most, it’s just a chance to fantasize about wealth at a cost of a few bucks.

Although making decisions and determining fates by the casting of lots has a long record in human history—including multiple instances in the Bible—the first public lottery to offer tickets with prizes in the form of money was held in the Low Countries in the 15th century, raising funds for town fortifications and helping the poor. It has since spread worldwide.

In the past, people have tried all sorts of ways to improve their chances of winning—using software, astrology, or asking friends for advice. But no system can predict the winning numbers in a random draw, Kapoor says. Even if you choose numbers that are close to your birthday or other personal numbers, they may still be less likely to appear than others’ choices.

Instead of choosing your favorite numbers, consider charting the “random” outside number that repeats. On a separate sheet of paper, mark each of those repeats with a single digit, and look for a group of them—called singletons—that will signal a winning ticket 60-90% of the time.