Top Illusionist to Attempt to Predict UK Lottery Numbers - 09-10-09

September 10 - As one of the world's premier illusionists, Englishman Derren Brown is a master hypnotist, magician and mentalist and has a string of hit TV shows to his name. But tonight (Wednesday, September 9) he'll put his reputation on the line by attempting to predict the winning UK National Lottery numbers.

According to a report that appeared in the Daily Mail, Brown will try to predict the winning lottery numbers live on Channel 4 just moments before they are drawn. So confident are TV producers that Brown will be able to foretell the six winning lotto numbers, that they have scheduled a follow-up show for Friday.

During that show he will reportedly reveal how he predicted tonight's winning UK lottery numbers. But while the famous illusionist may know something the rest of us don't, there are some well documented facts and figures that can help the average lottery fan increase his or her chances of becoming a jackpot winner.

For instance, avoid the number 13 at all costs. Interestingly it has proven to be as unlucky as most people think it is, especially where the UK National Lottery is concerned. Since the launch of the UK Lottery over a decade ago, 13 has only come up 154 times as opposed to number 38, which has come up 206 times.

Like 13, the number 16 is also considered a 'cold' or unlucky number. It has also been drawn less often than other 'hot' numbers. Interestingly though, it does come up more often than 20 or 41. What this means is that even if you were born on the 16th or are 20 or 41 years old, try to avoid choosing those numbers.

If you had to purchase a ticket for the UK National Lottery using all of the 'hottest' numbers, your ticket would contain the following numbers: 38, 31, 11, 9, 23, 25. However, if those numbers ever did come up in a single draw, the odds are that you would probably split the jackpot with thousands of other lotto fans.

Another interesting lottery titbit is that according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Swiss Lottery, you have a better chance of winning a lottery jackpot if all your numbers add up to 178 or more. The reason for this seems to be that generally people favour the lower numbers over high numbers, so dare to be different.