Number 42

In UK Lotto under the 6/49 + 1/49 · Nov 1994 – Oct 2015 rules — 2,065 draws, 6 from 1–49 (an earlier era).

253times drawn · chance expected 253 +0.01σ

3draws waiting · a wait this long: 77% for any number

8.2average wait between appearances · chance says 8.2

64longest completed wait · 7% chance of one at least that long

42 is drawn as often as chance explains

Drawn 253 times in 2,065 draws against 252.9 expected, +0.01σ. Each draw is independent: after 3 draws away it is exactly as likely tonight as a number drawn yesterday. It has also come out as the bonus ball 41 times, counted separately.

Number 42, draw by draw

Drawn 253 times in 2,065 draws · average wait 8.2 draws · longest completed wait 64 · waiting 3 draws now

a completed wait — darker is longer the wait still running — a lower bound, not a finished gap

Where it lands in a sorted draw

Sort a draw and 42 has a favourite seat — chance gives a large number the high positions more often. That is the shape of sorting, not of the machine.

1st smallest0 · chance 0.0
2nd smallest0 · chance 0.2
3rd smallest4 · chance 4.2
4th smallest31 · chance 33.1
5th smallest108 · chance 104.7
6th smallest110 · chance 110.7

Every position’s lane →

The company it keeps

Seen most often with these — chance gives every partner about 26.4 shared draws, and the leaders are simply the ones that came out ahead this time.

11 39 5 35 17 6

It has shared a draw with every one of the other 48 numbers; chance expected about 0.0 still unmet by now. Every pair →

How many people play it

Under the crowd model, 42 is picked about 0.86× as often as an indifferent choice — 33rd most popular of 49. That changes nothing about whether it comes up, and everything about how many ways a jackpot on it would be shared.

Numbers above 31 ×0.86

The model and its sources → · What people believe about 42 →

Every draw it appeared in

Date	Wait	Position	The draw
2015-09-26	8	6th	9 17 31 33 41 42
2015-08-29	8	5th	12 18 23 33 42 43
2015-08-01	1	4th	1 16 27 42 46 47
2015-07-29	10	4th

What this cannot tell you

Nothing here predicts the next draw. A number’s history is a record of a fair machine’s past, and the machine keeps none of it: 42 is drawn with probability 6/49 tonight whatever it did last week.

2014-06-11	13	6th	11 13 14 28 40 42
2014-04-26	25	6th	17 22 23 33 36 42
2014-01-29	12	5th	9 29 37 38 42 46
2013-12-18	3	6th	2 7 25 35 40 42
2013-12-07	3	6th	10 12 17 28 30 42
2013-11-27	23	5th	15 19 22 25 42 48
2013-09-07	4	6th	1 11 12 13 35 42
2013-08-24	9	5th	5 20 26 40 42 48
2013-07-24	1	5th	22 26 30 40 42 47
2013-07-20	1	6th	1 3 17 19 39 42
2013-07-17	22	5th	6 24 33 38 42 43
2013-05-01	3	6th	7 8 11 12 39 42
2013-04-20	3	4th	8 34 38 42 44 46
2013-04-10	2	6th	3 16 27 33 36 42
2013-04-03	8	5th	5 11 21 32 42 48
2013-03-06	8	5th	3 9 14 38 42 47
2013-02-06	35	6th	9 10 16 18 27 42
2012-10-06	2	6th	1 11 16 18 27 42
2012-09-29	12	6th	1 6 7 8 25 42
2012-08-18	8	4th	21 27 38 42 44 46
2012-07-21	2	6th	5 14 20 40 41 42
2012-07-14	16	4th	13 27 29 42 43 46
2012-05-19	10	5th	1 19 39 40 42 46
2012-04-14	2	6th	1 5 15 22 26 42
2012-04-07	22	6th	12 16 23 25 31 42
2012-01-21	2	5th	5 17 32 39 42 49
2012-01-14	3	6th	7 10 12 15 25 42
2012-01-04	1	5th	9 26 28 30 42 43
2011-12-31	4	5th	7 11 37 38 42 44
2011-12-17	27	5th	1 22 35 39 42 48
2011-09-14	14	6th	23 28 29 37 38 42
2011-07-27	2	6th	4 16 22 34 39 42
2011-07-20	18	5th	6 10 15 32 42 49
2011-05-18	30	6th	6 15 20 36 38 42
2011-02-02	4	4th	2 17 20 42 46 48
2011-01-19	15	5th	9 18 34 41 42 43
2010-11-27	10	5th	4 10 18 41 42 47
2010-10-23	20	6th	2 3 14 29 35 42
2010-08-14	5	5th	5 13 17 31 42 46
2010-07-28	11	5th	1 11 33 37 42 43
2010-06-19	6	5th	34 37 39 41 42 47
2010-05-29	18	5th	2 17 36 39 42 48
2010-03-27	1	6th	6 11 15 32 38 42
2010-03-24	2	5th	3 5 23 28 42 49
2010-03-17	3	6th	16 30 34 37 41 42
2010-03-06	2	6th	6 13 27 28 34 42
2010-02-27	5	4th	7 14 17 42 44 45
2010-02-10	7	5th	5 7 15 37 42 44
2010-01-16	4	6th	4 7 10 14 27 42
2010-01-02	2	4th	26 29 30 42 43 47
2009-12-26	15	6th	2 8 23 25 36 42
2009-11-04	6	5th	1 2 23 39 42 49
2009-10-14	31	6th	5 11 24 32 35 42
2009-06-27	6	6th	9 17 25 26 31 42
2009-06-06	6	6th	6 14 32 35 41 42
2009-05-16	2	5th	1 5 9 27 42 45
2009-05-09	3	6th	6 9 28 31 37 42
2009-04-29	2	4th	1 15 35 42 45 48
2009-04-22	1	4th	11 21 34 42 43 45
2009-04-18	14	5th	13 24 33 35 42 49
2009-02-28	2	5th	6 25 33 37 42 43
2009-02-21	11	4th	18 22 26 42 45 46
2009-01-14	5	6th	3 18 28 37 39 42
2008-12-27	23	6th	7 10 24 39 40 42
2008-10-08	2	5th	9 13 24 25 42 48
2008-10-01	11	5th	6 27 29 38 42 49
2008-08-23	11	6th	9 16 23 26 27 42
2008-07-16	1	6th	3 12 17 18 22 42
2008-07-12	11	6th	16 27 28 29 30 42
2008-06-04	6	6th	19 27 35 37 39 42
2008-05-14	3	6th	3 4 29 34 41 42
2008-05-03	4	6th	2 15 17 32 36 42
2008-04-19	27	5th	5 19 24 38 42 46
2008-01-16	10	6th	8 13 17 22 29 42
2007-12-12	3	4th	19 20 23 42 44 45
2007-12-01	5	6th	12 24 33 36 39 42
2007-11-14	21	6th	4 5 21 35 37 42
2007-09-01	2	5th	3 27 34 41 42 48
2007-08-25	1	6th	7 13 17 33 40 42
2007-08-22	6	6th	18 31 35 39 40 42
2007-08-01	32	6th	3 6 15 23 28 42
2007-04-11	3	6th	8 11 21 32 35 42
2007-03-31	7	4th	3 35 39 42 44 48
2007-03-07	3	5th	4 14 25 35 42 48
2007-02-24	1	5th	5 18 26 34 42 49
2007-02-21	2	6th	1 6 26 34 39 42
2007-02-14	1	5th	1 2 4 38 42 43
2007-02-10	20	6th	22 26 38 39 41 42
2006-12-02	1	5th	9 11 15 31 42 46
2006-11-29	3	5th	17 20 31 40 42 46
2006-11-18	1	5th	1 19 20 32 42 46
2006-11-15	3	6th	2 3 17 22 40 42
2006-11-04	6	5th	17 30 33 40 42 43
2006-10-14	6	6th	8 15 24 31 37 42
2006-09-23	8	5th	6 26 28 35 42 43
2006-08-26	14	5th	10 17 24 31 42 49
2006-07-08	1	6th	6 10 19 29 32 42
2006-07-05	1	5th	7 17 29 33 42 45
2006-07-01	17	6th	18 28 33 37 39 42
2006-05-03	3	6th	9 11 22 39 40 42
2006-04-22	13	5th	9 24 30 40 42 48
2006-03-08	2	6th	1 11 14 35 37 42
2006-03-01	2	6th	15 16 19 28 38 42
2006-02-22	4	5th	5 9 27 35 42 43
2006-02-08	12	6th	9 27 28 31 41 42
2005-12-28	10	6th	6 8 10 19 30 42
2005-11-23	11	5th	14 33 36 39 42 46
2005-10-15	3	5th	4 7 29 30 42 44
2005-10-05	1	6th	14 17 23 30 34 42
2005-10-01	1	4th	4 6 31 42 46 47
2005-09-28	2	4th	21 32 41 42 43 46
2005-09-21	20	6th	2 23 33 35 40 42
2005-07-13	7	5th	3 25 36 39 42 47
2005-06-18	1	5th	4 7 26 41 42 49
2005-06-15	17	5th	7 11 12 37 42 45
2005-04-16	4	6th	25 26 32 39 40 42
2005-04-02	20	6th	18 26 27 29 34 42
2005-01-22	3	6th	5 15 23 30 34 42
2005-01-12	2	6th	4 5 31 33 38 42
2005-01-05	9	5th	5 8 15 20 42 48
2004-12-04	20	5th	8 9 35 38 42 45
2004-09-25	1	5th	3 10 28 29 42 43
2004-09-22	1	4th	12 19 40 42 46 49
2004-09-18	2	6th	5 10 13 14 28 42
2004-09-11	7	6th	5 8 19 30 35 42
2004-08-18	6	6th	6 11 12 13 36 42
2004-07-28	11	6th	10 11 14 21 25 42
2004-06-19	1	5th	2 23 28 31 42 45
2004-06-16	4	6th	22 26 29 31 35 42
2004-06-02	7	5th	5 22 26 40 42 43
2004-05-08	1	5th	14 17 23 28 42 49
2004-05-05	5	4th	23 32 33 42 43 45
2004-04-17	8	4th	3 21 31 42 47 48
2004-03-20	1	4th	13 21 37 42 46 48
2004-03-17	7	5th	5 16 30 38 42 43
2004-02-21	37	5th	1 5 8 18 42 48
2003-10-15	11	5th	7 11 16 32 42 49
2003-09-06	1	6th	1 21 25 27 39 42
2003-09-03	3	6th	10 11 13 38 39 42
2003-08-23	1	5th	10 15 18 25 42 48
2003-08-20	1	5th	5 6 34 37 42 48
2003-08-16	9	5th	1 9 10 12 42 45
2003-07-16	15	6th	2 15 16 17 26 42
2003-05-24	16	6th	4 22 25 30 34 42
2003-03-29	10	6th	5 15 21 33 35 42
2003-02-22	5	5th	19 30 33 38 42 44
2003-02-05	3	5th	1 13 17 26 42 46
2003-01-25	11	6th	3 19 35 38 39 42
2002-12-18	6	6th	11 17 21 22 40 42
2002-11-27	3	5th	11 25 35 36 42 47
2002-11-16	3	4th	10 30 34 42 48 49
2002-11-06	1	6th	2 6 8 21 41 42
2002-11-02	13	5th	5 28 32 39 42 48
2002-09-18	8	6th	4 7 12 29 37 42
2002-08-21	4	6th	5 14 19 32 34 42
2002-08-07	9	6th	10 22 23 30 33 42
2002-07-06	2	3rd	1 20 42 43 44 49
2002-06-29	15	5th	4 25 28 36 42 49
2002-05-08	15	3rd	8 10 42 44 47 49
2002-03-16	13	5th	5 6 26 41 42 44
2002-01-30	3	5th	12 19 27 39 42 47
2002-01-19	4	6th	7 18 34 37 39 42
2002-01-05	8	6th	2 16 28 34 41 42
2001-12-08	3	6th	1 14 16 30 34 42
2001-11-28	1	5th	8 22 31 32 42 45
2001-11-24	64	6th	23 27 30 37 38 42
2001-04-14	6	5th	7 24 35 41 42 47
2001-03-24	1	5th	6 25 31 32 42 43
2001-03-21	24	6th	11 22 27 34 39 42
2000-12-27	9	6th	9 24 26 36 37 42
2000-11-25	20	4th	3 6 20 42 43 48
2000-09-16	22	5th	4 22 23 26 42 47
2000-07-01	2	5th	11 16 22 39 42 48
2000-06-24	12	5th	6 9 32 34 42 48
2000-05-13	4	4th	6 30 35 42 44 45
2000-04-29	14	6th	15 16 19 27 29 42
2000-03-11	7	4th	7 12 37 42 46 49
2000-02-16	4	6th	6 7 12 16 19 42
2000-02-02	18	6th	10 30 31 32 39 42
1999-12-01	29	5th	28 36 37 38 42 47
1999-08-21	10	5th	12 15 16 17 42 48
1999-07-17	1	4th	3 15 23 42 45 48
1999-07-14	3	6th	1 15 21 37 41 42
1999-07-03	4	5th	11 17 28 36 42 44
1999-06-19	35	6th	4 6 20 24 41 42
1999-02-17	9	6th	2 22 31 32 40 42
1999-01-16	1	6th	11 26 28 32 41 42
1999-01-13	20	5th	6 25 27 35 42 48
1998-11-04	4	6th	2 9 11 23 24 42
1998-10-21	13	5th	3 11 15 41 42 48
1998-09-05	2	5th	9 10 11 27 42 47
1998-08-29	7	4th	10 12 37 42 44 45
1998-08-05	5	5th	13 35 38 40 42 47
1998-07-18	12	5th	3 11 20 33 42 44
1998-06-06	3	5th	1 15 23 31 42 48
1998-05-27	2	6th	8 13 15 26 39 42
1998-05-20	2	6th	11 15 31 35 36 42
1998-05-13	7	6th	3 13 16 23 41 42
1998-04-18	15	6th	1 13 29 31 33 42
1998-02-25	4	5th	9 21 27 36 42 48
1998-02-11	1	4th	11 32 38 42 46 49
1998-02-07	1	5th	9 25 27 31 42 45
1998-02-04	22	5th	13 17 32 35 42 45
1997-11-19	46	4th	22 27 33 42 46 47
1997-06-11	17	5th	10 31 33 40 42 44
1997-04-12	1	5th	9 27 29 37 42 44
1997-04-09	4	4th	6 22 35 42 45 49
1997-03-26	5	3rd	24 33 42 43 44 47
1997-03-08	2	6th	5 12 20 29 39 42
1997-03-01	14	5th	2 8 23 33 42 49
1996-12-21	1	5th	5 26 35 38 42 45
1996-12-14	1	5th	12 24 33 34 42 47
1996-12-07	3	5th	6 13 17 22 42 47
1996-11-16	13	6th	1 5 16 18 37 42
1996-08-17	5	5th	2 28 33 39 42 44
1996-07-13	7	6th	5 10 11 12 41 42
1996-05-25	15	5th	8 20 26 34 42 43
1996-02-10	2	6th	4 11 14 15 28 42
1996-01-27	3	5th	16 17 38 41 42 43
1996-01-06	1	5th	2 3 4 13 42 44
1995-12-30	5	4th	6 32 39 42 43 45
1995-11-25	22	5th	16 23 28 30 42 46
1995-06-24	11	4th	5 15 21 42 43 45
1995-04-08	2	5th	14 17 22 24 42 47
1995-03-25	3	4th	4 17 41 42 44 49
1995-03-04	4	6th	11 12 17 26 36 42
1995-02-04	3	5th	1 7 37 38 42 46
1995-01-14	2	6th	7 17 23 32 38 42
1994-12-31	—	5th	9 17 32 36 42 44