Powerball Jackpot Math

(AP) — It's easy to sum up your chances of winning tomorrow's huge Powerball jackpot -- slim to none. The math whizzes put the odds of winning at more than one in 292 million. One statistical expert at the University at Buffalo (Jeffrey Miecznikowski) says that's like flipping a quarter and getting heads 28 times in a row. In other words, forget it. Scott A. Norris, an assistant professor of mathematics at Southern Methodist University, has one tip. He says let the computer pick rather than choosing the numbers yourself. That's because when people use birthdates or other favorite figures, they generally choose numbers 31 or below. That ignores the fact that there are 69 numbered balls.