The highest Shannon Index in Powerball over the last 20 draws belongs to the numbers: Field 1: 16, 3, 14, 17, 38. Field 2: 12.Data includes draw #1970 of 09.07.2026.
A high index means the number is drawn at a moderate, steady frequency in both periods and contributes the most to the diversity of the draws — this describes history, not a forecast: the draw is random, and every combination is equally likely. But as a selection system the method does work: if you'd rather pick a combination by the statistics than at random, clicking a number in the table adds it to the generator.
A number's Shannon Index is its contribution to information entropy across two periods: the Long one (a baseline of many draws) and the Short one (recent activity). Nearby — other views of the number distribution of {lotteryName}: Frequency →Shannon Entropy →
I = (−p1·log₂ p1 − p2·log₂ p2) × 100
where for each number:
- p₁ — the share of Long-period draws in which the number appeared (frequency ÷ number of LP draws);
- p₂ — the same for the Short period;
- the term −p·log₂p peaks for numbers of medium frequency and falls off for the very rare and the very frequent; in the table the result is multiplied by 100.
Combination Generator
Where to next
Draw frequency
The actual frequencies of Powerball numbers — the very p shares the index is built from.
OpenShannon Entropy
A single randomness figure for the whole Powerball distribution — how predictable the results are.
OpenZ-Score
The frequency skew of Powerball in standard deviations — how far a number stands out in σ.
OpenRuns test
Whether Powerball has non-random streaks and droughts — another test of draw randomness.
OpenFrequently asked questions about Powerball
What is the Shannon Index in a lottery?
It's a measure from information theory: for each Powerball number, its contribution to entropy is computed across two periods — Long and Short. A high index means the number is drawn at a moderate, steady frequency in both periods; a low one means it's too rare or, on the contrary, dominates.
What does a high index for a number mean?
That the number's draw frequency in Powerball sits near the middle of the range and is steady across both periods — such a number contributes the most to information entropy. This describes the past, not a prediction: it has no effect on the next draw.
Should I play Powerball numbers with a high index?
A high index gives no future advantage — the draw is random and all combinations are equally likely. But the method works as a selection system: numbers with a high index can be a starting point for a combination in the generator — that's a systematic choice, not a forecast of the draw.
How does the Shannon Index differ from Shannon Entropy?
Shannon Entropy rates the randomness of the whole distribution with a single figure (one number for the entire lottery). The Shannon Index is a per-number score based on comparing two periods. For the overall entropy of the distribution, see the Shannon Entropy page.
How do I choose the Long and Short periods for Powerball?
The Short period must be part of the Long one. The Long period (200–500 draws) sets the baseline, the Short one (30–100 draws) shows recent activity. A 3:1–5:1 ratio is usually the clearest. The larger the archive, the steadier the index — over a short window it jumps around.