Missing numbers and winning runs

This Saturday sees the 70th weekly draw and the pattern of wins has shifted again. Several numbers, including 4, 6, 7, 11, 14, 15, 16 24, 30 and 45, have come up twice in the past five weeks, sometimes in consecutive weeks, while after a run in which most of the longer losing sequences were broken, some longish sequences are building up again.

It is now 19 weeks since 27 was a winner; 17 weeks since number 1 won; 19 and 46 have stretched their losing sequences to 15 weeks; 20 has missed out for 14 weeks; 8 and 10 have not won for 13 weeks; and 47 and 49 for 12 weeks.

Many of the numbers that have won rarely, are continuing to have a thin time - with the exception of 24, which has raised its tally from four to six in the past four draws. But 39 remains stuck on just two wins in 69 weeks; the last 11 was weeks ago now; 13 has been stuck on four wins for 10 weeks; 19, 20 and 36 have each won only five times, and have each been waiting for at least 11 weeks since they last dropped into the slot.

CLIFFORD GERMAN