If you're considering playing pick 5 lotto, it's important to realize that it's a lottery game just like any other. You may have heard that it's one of the easiest lottery games to play. While this is true, you still need to have a plan of attack and have the advantage over others. One of the best ways to play the game is to play realistically.

The Odds Against You Will Always Be Higher The Higher The Prize

The jackpot prize for pick 5 lotto goes up to $50,000. The top prize increases the more people don't win. If you think $50,000 is not much, you might not want to base your decision on this fact alone. While it's tempting to go for a lottery that offers millions of dollars as its top prize, think about the odds that are stacked up against you. A million-dollar prize will typically have a million others competing for it. On the other hand, a smaller top prize such as $50,000 will typically have only a thousand-something others competing with you each time. Thus, you can win little at a time, but more frequently.

If you are playing alone, there is more burden on you in terms of finances. It's usually not a problem since pick 5 doesn't cost much for each play (which is $1), but if you want to increase your chances without breaking the bank, you can always join a syndicate. The prize you get may be even smaller but at least you'll get something and likely more often than if you played alone. It's okay if not even better to expect a smaller prize.

Lucky Numbers Don't Do Much

You have to remember that lucky numbers really aren't anything special. They are simply numbers just like any other number you can think of. The winning combinations for the game are randomly selected. Yes, there is a pattern, but those patterns are not based on any particular “lucky” number. Do not make the mistake of using the same combinations over and over again, thinking that they may have some magical properties - they don't. Your anniversary may be your lucky number combination for instance, but it can even backfire, since a calendar has very limited combinations of numbers.

You Can't Win If You Don't Buy

Common sense also plays a huge part in this game. Whether you have this secret system you've developed to increase your chances of winning or not, you can't even have the prospect of winning if you don't have a ticket in the first place. The more tickets you buy each week, the better chances you have of winning. It's a universal

You Can't Win If You Can't Play

On the other hand, don't buy tickets beyond your means. We're not exactly talking about quantity here, but about consistency. Some people spend on tickets everyday beyond their means for a whole month. They may or may not win. The bottom line is, these people usually end up too broke to play for the next several months. Just imagine how many chances they are missing in those next several months. Common sense players are able to win numerous times consistently without going broke. They may not win within the first week or two, but they may win consistently every week or bi-weekly in the next several months.

You Can't Expect To Win All The Time

Even with the most sophisticated of strategies, evaluations and computerized systems, there's no guarantee of winning. This applies to anyone. Realize that pick 5 lotto is all about whether you're going to increase or decrease your chances. The only way you're going to be familiar with your odds of winning is to actually start playing and doing so consistently, with the guidance of the tips mentioned earlier.

Author's Bio: 

Learn how Art Robinson can help you to win at the Pick 5 by visiting: http://WWW.GUARANTEED5NUMBERS.NET.