Michigan Woman Used ChatGPT for Lottery Numbers And Won $100K

A Michigan woman won $100,000 in the lottery after asking ChatGPT to pick her numbers. Which sounds like an amazing AI success story until you realize it's just pure luck.

Tammy Carvey from Wyandotte bought her Powerball ticket on the Michigan Lottery website and asked ChatGPT what numbers to play for the September 6 drawing. She matched four white balls and the red Powerball.

"When I checked the winning numbers, I saw I matched four white balls and the Powerball and knew I had to have won something," the 45-year-old told lottery officials.

She thought she'd won $50,000 after googling it. Then she logged into her Michigan Lottery account and realized she'd added Power Play to her ticket, which doubled the prize to $100,000.

"My husband and I were in total disbelief," Carvey said.

ChatGPT Cannot Predict Lottery Numbers

Let's be extremely clear about something. ChatGPT cannot predict lottery numbers. It has zero ability to forecast random number drawings.

Here's why that's impossible: Each lottery drawing is completely independent. What got drawn last week has zero influence on what gets drawn this week. Past results don't affect future results at all.

There are no patterns to find. AI works by finding patterns in data and lottery drawings are specifically designed to have no patterns. They use physical randomization like bouncing balls and air jets, or certified random number generators to come up with the winning numbers.

ChatGPT just makes up numbers when you ask. It generates numbers that "seem lottery-like" based on its training data. It's basically guessing randomly, same as you would.

If AI could actually predict lottery numbers, lotteries wouldn't exist. They'd be instantly exploitable and shut down. This was pure luck and coincidence.

Carvey could've used her kids' birthdays, or just let the machine quick-pick random numbers. The outcome would've been equally as random.

Don't Run Out and Ask AI for Lottery Numbers

Before anyone gets the bright idea to ask ChatGPT or any other AI tool for lottery picks thinking they'll hit it big—stop.

The odds of winning Powerball are about 1 in 292 million. Those odds don't improve because you used AI to pick numbers.

Every combination of numbers has the exact same probability of winning. ChatGPT picking 4-17-23-31-42 has the same odds as you picking 1-2-3-4-5. Random is random.

She Only Plays When the Jackpot Gets Huge

Carvey told lottery officials she only buys Powerball tickets under specific circumstances.

"I only play Powerball when the jackpot gets up there and the jackpot was over $1 billion so I bought a ticket," she said.

Smart approach, honestly. Not that it changes the odds, but at least she's not dumping money into tickets constantly. She waits for the big jackpots and takes a shot.

This time it paid off. Most times it won't.

What She's Doing with the Money

Carvey plans to pay off her home and save the rest. She lives in Wyandotte, about 15 miles from Detroit.

Practical move. Paying off a mortgage with lottery winnings is probably the most financially responsible thing anyone can do with unexpected money.

Where to Buy Lottery Tickets

Tickets can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Some airport terminals sell them too.

Or buy online through your state lottery website if that's available where you live, like Carvey did.

The AI Angle is Novel

News outlets love this story because AI is hot right now and it makes for a catchy headline. "Woman uses ChatGPT to win lottery" sounds way more interesting than "Woman gets lucky with random numbers." But that's all it is. A fun angle on a standard lottery win story.

ChatGPT didn't crack some code. It didn't analyze patterns or predict outcomes. It spit out some random numbers when asked, and those numbers happened to hit.

There's going to be a wave of people asking ChatGPT and other AI tools for lottery numbers now because of this story. None of them will win because they used AI. If any of them win, it'll be because they got lucky with random numbers.

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