Sum of 4 in the Pick 4 NC Lottery Game
The sum of the 4 digits of the Pick 4. The Numbers lottery games ranges from 0 to 36. The digits of the number 0000 sum up to 0, and that of 9999 sum up to 36, the rest lie in between. Well over 50% of 4-digit numbers have a sum between 14 and 22, it is therefore not surprising to see winning numbers with sums 14-22 drawn every other day.
You might be tempted to play all the numbers with sums that range from 14 to 22 everyday in order to win every other day. This is quite naive since you are covering about 50% of the numbers and since the house edge of a state lottery game of a state lottery game is 50%, you will only be breaking even every other day and losing in rest. However, it is not a bad idea to analyze the trend of the sums in the past several days and play those that are overdue for a few days.
The following table is a list if all the 37 possible sums and the corresponding distinct 4-digit numbers.
The second column is the total numbers that have this sum while the third column lists only the distinct boxes. For instance, there are 4 numbers that have sum of 1 and they are 0001, 0010, 0100, and 1000. Since all four are simply different arrangements of the number 0001, we have listed only 0001 in the third column.
The last two columns are indicative of how much is paid for a winning sum and what is the likelihood of a sum being drawn, respectively. The column 'Odds of winning with the sum' actually tells you how much is paid if that sum wins. With no commissions involved, you should be paid exactly the same as the odds. That is, a sum of 0 should bring you $10,000 for each dollar you spend, $2,500 for a sum of 1, and so on. However, since states have to make money, you will only be paid in the neighborhood of 50% of the odds. In fact, each state sets up its own payment rules, but the amount is not far from 50% of the odds. Therefore, a sum of 0 would most likely bring you $5,000, similarly, $1,250 for a sum of 1, $143 for a sum of 32, and so on, for each dollar you play.
The last column, 'Probability of the sum to be drawn', is just that - it allows you to choose which sum to play. Obviously, since a sum of 18 (most probable sum) will not be drawn everyday, you have to use this data together with the history of sums of your state's 4-digit game to decide which sum(s) to play.
Example Pick 3 number drawn: 5236
: Best possible total sums (Ex. 5+2+3+6=16)
| Sum |
How many
have this sum |
List of distinct
boxes having this sum |
Odds of winning
with the sum |
Probability of the
sum to be drawn |
| 0 | 1 | 0000 | 1:10000 | 0.01% |
| 1 | 4 | 0001 | 1:2500 | 0.04% |
| 2 | 10 | 0002,0011 | 1:1000 | 0.1% |
| 3 | 20 | 0003,0012,0111 | 1:500 | 0.2% |
| 4 | 35 | 0004,0013,0022,0112,1111 | 1:286 | 0.35% |
| 5 | 56 | 0005,0014,0023,0113,0122,1112 | 1:179 | 0.56% |
| 6 | 84 | 0006,0015,0024,0033,0114,0123,0222,1113,1122 | 1:119 | 0.84% |
| 7 | 120 | 0007,0016,0025,0034,0115,0124,0133,0223,1114,1123,1222 | 1:83 | 1.2% |
| 8 | 165 | 0008,0017,0026,0035,0044,0116,0125,0134,0224,0233,1115,1124,
1133,1223,2222 | 1:61 | 1.65% |
| 9 | 220 | 0009,0018,0027,0036,0045,0117,0126,0135,0144,0225,0234,0333,
1116,1125,1134,1224,1233,2223 | 1:45 | 2.2% |
| 10 | 282 | 0019,0028,0037,0046,0055,0118,0127,0136,0145,0226,0235,0244,
0334,1117,1126,1135,1144,1225,1234,1333,2224,2233 | 1:35 | 2.82% |
| 11 | 348 | 0029,0038,0047,0056,0119,0128,0137,0146,0155,0227,0236,0245,
0335,0344,1118,1127,1136,1145,1226,1235,1244,1334,2225,2234,
2333 | 1:29 | 3.48% |
| 12 | 415 | 0039,0048,0057,0066,0129,0138,0147,0156,0228,0237,0246,0255,
0336,0345,0444,1119,1128,1137,1146,1155,1227,1236,1245,1335,
1344,2226,2235,2244,2334,3333 | 1:24 | 4.15% |
| 13 | 480 | 0049,0058,0067,0139,0148,0157,0166,0229,0238,0247,0256,0337,
0346,0355,0445,1129,1138,1147,1156,1228,1237,1246,1255,1336,
1345,1444,2227,2236,2245,2335,2344,3334 | 1:21 | 4.80% |
| 14 | 540 | 0059,0068,0077,0149,0158,0167,0239,0248,0257,0266,0338,0347,
0356,0446,0455,1139,1148,1157,1166,1229,1238,1247,1256,1337,
1346,1355,1445,2228,2237,2246,2255,2336,2345,2444,3335,3344 | 1:19 | 5.40% |
| 15 | 592 | 0069,0078,0159,0168,0177,0249,0258,0267,0339,0348,0357,0366,
0447,0456,0555,1149,1158,1167,1239,1248,1257,1266,1338,1347,
1356,1446,1455,2229,2238,2247,2256,2337,2346,2355,2445,3336,
3345,3444 | 1:17 | 5.92% |
| 16 | 633 | 0079,0088,0169,0178,0259,0268,0277,0349,0358,0367,0448,0457,
0466,0556,1159,1168,1177,1249,1258,1267,1339,1348,1357,1366,
1447,1456,1555,2239,2248,2257,2266,2338,2347,2356,2446,2455,
3337,3346,3355,3445,4444 | 1:16 | 6.33% |
| 17 | 660 | 0089,0179,0188,0269,0278,0359,0368,0377,0449,0458,0467,0557,
0566,1169,1178,1259,1268,1277,1349,1358,1367,1448,1457,1466,
1556,2249,2258,2267,2339,2348,2357,2366,2447,2456,2555,3338,
3347,3356,3446,3455,4445 | 1:15 | 6.60% |
| 18 | 670 | 0099,0189,0279,0288,0369,0378,0459,0468,0477,0558,0567,0666,
1179,1188,1269,1278,1359,1368,1377,1449,1458,1467,1557,1566,
2259,2268,2277,2349,2358,2367,2448,2457,2466,2556,3339,3348,
3357,3366,3447,3456,3555,4446,4455 | 1:15 | 6.70% |
| 19 | 660 | 0199,0289,0379,0388,0469,0478,0559,0568,0577,0667,1189,1279,
1288,1369,1378,1459,1468,1477,1558,1567,1666,2269,2278,2359,
2368,2377,2449,2458,2467,2557,2566,3349,3358,3367,3448,3457,
3466,3556,4447,4456,4555 | 1:15 | 6.60% |
| 20 | 633 | 0299,0389,0479,0488,0569,0578,0668,0677,1199,1289,1379,1388,
1469,1478,1559,1568,1577,1667,2279,2288,2369,2378,2459,2468,
2477,2558,2567,2666,3359,3368,3377,3449,3458,3467,3557,3566,
4448,4457,4466,4556,5555 | 1:16 | 6.33% |
| 21 | 592 | 0399,0489,0579,0588,0669,0678,0777,1299,1389,1479,1488,1569,
1578,1668,1677,2289,2379,2388,2469,2478,2559,2568,2577,2667,
3369,3378,3459,3468,3477,3558,3567,3666,4449,4458,4467,4557,
4566,5556 | 1:17 | 5.92% |
| 22 | 540 | 0499,0589,0679,0688,0778,1399,1489,1579,1588,1669,1678,1777,
2299,2389,2479,2488,2569,2578,2668,2677,3379,3388,3469,3478,
3559,3568,3577,3667,4459,4468,4477,4558,4567,4666,5557,5566 | 1:19 | 5.40% |
| 23 | 480 | 0599,0689,0779,0788,1499,1589,1679,1688,1778,2399,2489,2579,
2588,2669,2678,2777,3389,3479,3488,3569,3578,3668,3677,4469,
4478,4559,4568,4577,4667,5558,5567,5666 | 1:21 | 4.80% |
| 24 | 415 | 0699,0789,0888,1599,1689,1779,1788,2499,2589,2679,2688,2778,
3399,3489,3579,3588,3669,3678,3777,4479,4488,4569,4578,4668,
4677,5559,5568,5577,5667,6666 | 1:24 | 4.15% |
| 25 | 348 | 0799,0889,1699,1789,1888,2599,2689,2779,2788,3499,3589,3679,
3688,3778,4489,4579,4588,4669,4678,4777,5569,5578,5668,5677,
6667 | 1:29 | 3.48% |
| 26 | 282 | 0899,1799,1889,2699,2789,2888,3599,3689,3779,3788,4499,4589,
4679,4688,4778,5579,5588,5669,5678,5777,6668,6677 | 1:35 | 2.82% |
| 27 | 220 | 0999,1899,2799,2889,3699,3789,3888,4599,4689,4779,4788,5589,
5679,5688,5778,6669,6678,6777 | 1:45 | 2.20% |
| 28 | 165 | 1999,2899,3799,3889,4699,4789,4888,5599,5689,5779,5788,6679,
6688,6778,7777 | 1:61 | 1.65% |
| 29 | 120 | 2999,3899,4799,4889,5699,5789,5888,6689,6779,6788,7778 | 1:83 | 1.20% |
| 30 | 84 | 3999,4899,5799,5889,6699,6789,6888,7779,7788 | 1:119 | 0.84% |
| 31 | 56 | 4999,5899,6799,6889,7789,7888 | 1:179 | 0.56% |
| 32 | 35 | 5999,6899,7799,7889,8888 | 1:286 | 0.35% |
| 33 | 20 | 6999,7899,8889 | 1:500 | 0.2% |
| 34 | 10 | 7999,8899 | 1:1000 | 0.1% |
| 35 | 4 | 8999 | 1:2500 | 0.04% |
| 36 | 1 | 9999 | 1:10000 | 0.01% |
|
