ArchPundit

Newsweek covers it

On Nov. 5, Todd Strandberg was at his desk, fielding E-mails from around the world. As the editor and founder of RaptureReady.com, his job is to track current events and link them to biblical prophecy in hopes of maintaining his status as “the eBay of prophecy,” the best source online for predictions and calculations concerning the end of the world. Already Barack Obama had drawn the attention of apocalypse watchers after an anonymous e-mail circulated among conservative Christians in October implying that he was the Antichrist. Former “Saturday Night Live” ingénue Victoria Jackson fueled the fire when, according to news reports, she wrote on her Web site that Obama “bears traits that resemble the anti-Christ.” Now Strandberg was receiving up-to-the-minute news from his constituents in Illinois. One of the winning lottery numbers in the president-elect’s home state was 666— which, as everyone knows, is the sign of the Beast (also known as the Antichrist). “It is very eerie, and I take it for a sign as to who he really is,” wrote one of Strandberg’s correspondents..

Number of 666 picks in 2008:

4

2007 – 1

2006 – 0

2005 – 0

2004 – 1

2003 – 1

2002 – 0

2001 – 1

2000 – 1

1993 – 1999 5 (before 1993 the lottery only did  a nighttime pick and yes, I know there’s no draw on some of the Christmas’ in years past)

There are 730 drawings in the pick three game each year (732 in 2008) meaning a pick of 666 once is likely (1 in 1000 chance–0-0-0 is possible and does happen).

Over 9 years, 666 has come up 9 times, but 4 of those have been in 2008.  That means that for the 8 years prior to 2008, the 666 was picked less than one would have predicted or about 5.8 times.  Over 16 years it was picked 16 times which is greater than the probability which would be 11.68.  Over the 15 years previously the odds would be that 10.95 with 10 picks meaning it was pretty close to the average.

What does all this mean?  Nothing.  The same  as claiming Obama and a lottery pick of 666 are related.  It’s about random chance with completely independent draws that results are unlikely in any given draw, but over time they average out.  God gave you brains, use them.