Using Lottery Games to Illustrate Statistical Concepts and Abuses

Two applications of the analysis of lottery games as an instructional tool are described.First, the use of lottery examples in the statistical areas of probability and decision analysis are discussed.Second, two different systems for predicting lottery numbers are examined, along with a discussion of the statistical concepts that are being inappropriately utilized in each case.An analysis of these misuses of statistics can be an interesting vehicle for explaining statistical ideas to students in introductory classes.