Mega Millions Standard Deviation Distribution

  Number Frequency   Mega Ball Frequency   Overdue Numbers   Odd/Even Numbers   High/Low Numbers   Sum and Root Sum   Hot and Cold Numbers   Most Common Pairs   Most Common Triplets   Most Common Quadruplets   Mean, STDEV, and Range Trend   Mean Distribution   Range Distribution   STDDEV Distribtion   IQR Distribution   Clustering Distribution
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  Number Frequency   Mega Ball Frequency   Overdue Numbers   Odd/Even Numbers   High/Low Numbers   Sum and Root Sum   Hot and Cold Numbers   Most Common Pairs   Most Common Triplets   Most Common Quadruplets   Mean, STDEV, and Range Trend   Mean Distribution   Range Distribution   STDDEV Distribtion   IQR Distribution   Clustering Distribution

The Standard Deviation is also very useful in analyzing how spread out the numbers tend to be from draw to draw. It also shows how consistently random the draws are over time

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Last 75 draws
From Mar. 4, 2025 To Nov. 18, 2025

Histogram of Standard Deviation

The histogram of standard deviation measures how much variation or dispersion exists among numbers in each lotto draw. A low standard deviation means the numbers are close together, while a high standard deviation indicates they are spread out across the range. By dividing these values into bins, the histogram reveals whether draws tend to produce tightly grouped numbers or broadly spaced sets. This helps in understanding the randomness and variability of number distribution across many draws.

The chart below is a histogram of standard deviation of lotto combinations from Mar. 4, 2025 to Nov. 18, 2025 , covering 75 draws. The range of possible standard deviation is divided into categories or bins. In this case, the bins are defined as intervals such as 1-9 up to 64-70, each representing a continuous range of mean values.

This division is necessary because individual standard deviation values can vary widely, and grouping them into intervals makes patterns easier to observe. For example, by examining how frequently standard deviation fall into each bin, anyone can quickly see whether the draws are evenly distributed, clustered in particular ranges, or biased toward lower or higher values.

The histogram of standard deviations of lotto draws, showing how widely numbers vary within combinations reveals that the most frequent deviation interval is 10-18 with 33 occurrences, suggesting a strong clustering in this interval. In contrast, the least frequent deviation interval is 28-36, 37-45, 46-54, 55-63, 64-70 with 0 occurrences, showing it is rarely observed. This indicates a noticeable concentration of draws around certain deviation intervals. Overall, the distribution shows clustering around specific deviation intervals, indicating that draws tend to gravitate toward these values.

Format Changes in US Mega Millions Lottery

Since its inception in 1996, Mega Millions has undergone several changes in its number pool format, particularly in the main number set and the Mega Ball. Initially launched as “The Big Game,” the format started with selecting 5 numbers from a pool of 50 and 1 Mega Ball from a pool of 25 and expanded its number matrix several times in 2005, 2013, and 2017. in April 2025, the format was revised again, maintaining the 5/70 for the main numbers but slightly reducing the Mega Ball pool from 1/25 to 1/24. These adjustments over time have been aimed at balancing jackpot size, odds of winning, and overall game excitement.

Period Format Mega Ball
September 6, 1996 – Launch as “The Big Game” 5 of 50 1 of 25
May 17, 2002 – Rebranded “The Big Game Mega Millions” 5 of 52 1 of 52
October 2002 – 2005 5 of 56 1 of 46
October 18–22, 2013 5 of 75  1 of 15
October 28–31, 2017 5 of 70 1 of 25
April 8, 2025 5 of 70 1 of 24

How US Mega Millions Lotto Format Changes Affect Your Number Strategy.

These format changes have a direct impact on statistical analysis. Mixing frequency data across different formats is not advisable because each version of the game has a different number pool and probability structure.

For example, a number that appeared frequently in the 5/50 format may have done so due to higher individual draw probability, but that same frequency can be misleading in the 5/75 or 5/70 formats.

Therefore, for meaningful analysis, it’s essential to treat each format as its own distinct dataset. Analyzing trends or frequencies should be restricted to results from within the same format period, especially if the goal is to inform number selection in the current game structure.

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