#3 returned after a long gap
Worth noticing#3 had been missing for 33 drawings—longer than nearly all of its previous absences and 5 drawings short of its longest absence.
Investigate #3 in Number Explorer
Mega Millions results for
Fri, May 22, 2009
Publication status
This record is preserved for transparency.
It is excluded from search indexing while required drawing details or source evidence are incomplete. The visible status and source notes explain what is currently known.
Winning numbers
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This drawing used an older Mega Millions format. The Mega Ball #29 is outside the current Number Explorer range, so it remains visible here without an explorer link.
- Drawing date
- Fri, May 22, 2009
About this drawing
A factual look at the winning numbers.
The five main numbers included 3 odd and 2 even, with a combined sum of 157.
1 main number also appeared in the previous drawing: 42.
Understand this drawing
Follow the evidence and explanation.
These next steps reflect the verified properties of this result; they are not predictions.
- ExplanationWhy a repeat does not change the next drawingSeparate a visible back-to-back repeat from claims about future probability.
- InvestigationView complete Mega Millions analysisCompare frequency, gaps, drawing composition, sums, consecutive values, and pairs.
- Complete game guideExplore the complete Mega Millions guideReturn to current results, rules, odds, analysis, and the full archive.
Historical Combination Explorer
Explore how these numbers appeared together.
Search earlier drawings for exact and partial matches involving this winning combination.
Historical context
Inside this drawing
Compare this result with earlier Mega Millions drawings played with the same number format.
#42 did it again
Worth noticing#42 appeared in back-to-back drawings.
Explore #42#29 has been showing up more lately
Worth noticing#29 appeared 36% more often recently than over the last 500 drawings.
Explore #29Shape of the drawing
How the five main numbers landed
Compared with 407 Mega Millions drawings played earlier under the same number format.
- Main-number sum
- 157 A fairly typical total for this format
- Number span
- 46 A fairly typical spread
- Odd / even
- 3 / 2 This split appeared in about 34% of comparable drawings
- Low / high
- 1 / 4 This balance appeared in about 14% of comparable drawingsLow numbers are 1–28 in this format.
More shape measurements
- Largest gap
- 26 Larger than most comparable drawings
- Smallest gap
- 5 Larger than most comparable drawings
- Average main number
- 31.4 Near the middle of comparable drawings
- Number bands
- Main numbers grouped in bands of ten
No main numbers formed a consecutive pair.
Each valid combination has the same chance in a future drawing. Review the methodology.
Similar historical drawings
Draws with a similar shape
These earlier drawings share several structural traits with this result. Similarity describes completed drawings and does not predict what comes next.
How similarity works
Matches compare main-number sum, span, odd/even and low/high balance, consecutive pairs, and adjacent gaps within the same number format. The closest score wins; equally close drawings are ordered newest first.
921363855
13
The same 3 odd / 2 even balance and the same number spread.
View this drawing
1037394954
8
Matching odd/even and low/high balances and a nearly identical number spread.
View this drawingShow more similar drawings
524374752
6
The same 3 odd / 2 even balance and a nearly identical number spread.
View this drawing
626333955
1
The same 3 odd / 2 even balance and a nearly identical main-number sum.
View this drawingFollow the numbers
Continue with one number.
3
Main number 3
29
Main number 29
34
Main number 34
42
Main number 42
49
Main number 49
29
Mega Ball #29 from the older 56/46 format; not supported in the current Number Explorer
Sources and method
Confirmed from an authoritative public record.
Source record: New York State Open Data .
Work The Numbers is an independent historical analysis platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by a lottery operator.