Simulators
50/50 Simulator: Run a Draw Many Times
The simulator above runs a raffle with the number of tickets you choose and repeats it many times, so you can see how often your tickets win and what they cost.
Of 1,000 fans who play the same way, 12 won at least once in this run (the exact share is 1.0%). Every raffle costs $10 and is worth $6.25 on average, so a season is worth $256.25 for the $410 paid.
Each square is one raffle; a red one is a win. Raffles are independent: losing many in a row does not make the next one more likely.
How it is calculated
One raffle: chance k ÷ N. At least one win in R raffles: 1 − (1 − k ÷ N)R.
k ÷ N0.025%
R41
At least one win1.02%
Seed of this run1
Your share over many draws
Chance per draw
1 in 40,000For example. Your tickets divided by all tickets sold. The more tickets others buy, the smaller your share.
Average ticket value
20.0% to 50.0%For example. The share of the ticket price that comes back as prize money, on average, across all tickets.
Exact odds for one draw
Get the chance and the pot for a single draw in the 50/50 odds calculator.
What the results show
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draws won | How many repeated draws one of your tickets won |
| Draws lost | Draws where another ticket was picked |
| Win rate | Draws won divided by all draws run |
| Money spent | What your tickets cost across every draw |
| Money won | Half of the pot for each draw you won |
| Net result | Money won minus money spent – usually below zero |
The more draws you run, the closer the win rate gets to the chance per draw.
Chance in one draw
chance = your tickets ÷ all tickets sold
Example: For example, the calculator gives a chance of 1 in 40,000 per draw.
Average value of a ticket
ticket value (share of price) = (prize ÷ all tickets sold) ÷ ticket price, where prize = half of the pot
Example: For example, the calculator shows a ticket is worth 20.0% to 50.0% of its price.
50/50 draw vs lottery draw
50/50 draw
- One winner takes half of the pot.
- The pot grows with every ticket sold.
- Odds depend on how many tickets are sold.
- With unlimited tickets, odds are known only after sales close.
Lottery draw
- Odds are set by how many number combinations exist.
- Odds are known before the draw.
- Several prize tiers, from small prizes to the jackpot.
- Every combination has the same chance.
Example: Princess Margaret 50/50 rules
| Rule | What the official rules say |
|---|---|
| Number of prizes | One prize |
| Winner's share | Half of the 50/50 Add-On Jackpot |
| Tickets printed | Unlimited |
| Minimum payout | The rules set a minimum prize payout for the winner |
From the official rules of the Princess Margaret 50/50 Add-On. Because tickets are unlimited, your odds are known only after sales close.
Related pages
Sources
- Princess Margaret Home Lottery – Rules and Regulations · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
How often would I win a 50/50 draw?
Your chance in one draw is your tickets divided by all tickets sold – for example, 1 in 40,000. With a chance like that per draw, wins are rare; the result depends on the number of tickets you enter.
Is a 50/50 better than the lottery?
They work differently. A 50/50 has one prize, and with unlimited tickets it has no fixed odds before sales close. A lottery publishes its odds in advance, set by the number of combinations.
Do more tickets help in a 50/50?
More tickets give you a bigger share of all tickets sold, but each one returns on average only 20.0% to 50.0% of its price. Your expected loss grows with every ticket.
Can a 50/50 simulator predict a real draw?
No. It repeats a random raffle to show long-run patterns. A real draw is one random pick, and past results do not change the next one.