"Hot numbers" and "cold numbers" are the two most searched Powerball statistics, and the two most misunderstood. This article explains how Powerball AI computes them, which numbers currently top and bottom the tables, and, just as important, what those tables are not telling you.
All figures below are based on every official drawing since the current matrix began on October 7, 2015, more than 1,400 draws, sourced from the New York State Open Data portal and refreshed after each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday drawing. For live counts, always check our statistics page; the exact ranking moves a little every week.
What "hot" and "cold" actually mean
- A hot number has been drawn more often than the theoretical average over the period you are looking at.
- A cold number has been drawn less often than that average.
The theoretical average is easy to compute. Each drawing pulls 5 white balls from 69, so over 1,400 draws every white ball is expected to appear about 1,400 × 5 ÷ 69 ≈ 101 times. Each drawing pulls 1 Powerball from 26, so every Powerball is expected about 1,400 ÷ 26 ≈ 54 times.
Hot numbers typically sit 10 to 20 percent above those averages. Cold numbers sit 10 to 20 percent below. That spread looks dramatic in a bar chart, but it is exactly the spread you would expect from pure chance over a few thousand ball pulls.
The hottest white balls since 2015
Over the life of the current matrix, the same handful of white balls keeps returning near the top of the frequency table:
| White ball | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Hot | The most frequently drawn white ball for most of the last five years |
| 32 | Hot | Consistently in the top three |
| 21 | Hot | Strong through 2023-2025 |
| 63 | Hot | One of the late-2015 additions that "caught up" fast |
| 69 | Hot | The highest ball in the matrix, drawn well above average |
| 36, 23, 39, 62, 59 | Warm | Regularly in the top ten |
The coldest white balls since 2015
At the other end, a few numbers have consistently lagged:
| White ball | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Cold | The classic unlucky number really is one of the least drawn |
| 34 | Cold | Below average almost every year since 2016 |
| 49 | Cold | Rarely appears in the top half |
| 26, 46, 60, 58 | Cool | Persistently under the expected count |
Hot and cold Powerballs
With only 26 red balls, the Powerball frequency table is flatter, but a few stand out:
- Hot Powerballs: 18, 24, 4, 21, 10 and 14 have led the count for most of the matrix's life.
- Cold Powerballs: 23, 15, 12 and 16 have trailed.
Because a single Powerball is drawn per drawing, the sample is 5 times smaller than for white balls, so Powerball rankings move around far more from month to month. Treat them as a curiosity rather than a signal.
The honest part: what hot and cold numbers cannot do
Every Powerball drawing is an independent event. The machine does not remember that 61 came out on Saturday. The probability that 61 is drawn next time is exactly 5/69, the same as 13's.
That means:
- A hot number is not more likely to be drawn tonight.
- A cold number is not "due" (see our companion article on overdue numbers).
- Playing only hot numbers does not raise your jackpot odds, which remain 1 in 292,201,338.
Statisticians have tested Powerball draws for bias many times. The result is always the same: the spread between hot and cold numbers is fully explained by random variation.
Then why look at hot and cold numbers at all?
Three reasons that hold up to scrutiny:
1. Structure. A play built from a mix of hot, cold and neutral numbers naturally spreads across the 1-69 range, avoids clumping, and lands in the sum range where most historical winners fall. It makes your play look like a real draw instead of a birthday list.
2. Uniqueness. Millions of players pick dates, so numbers 1 through 31 are heavily over-played. Hot numbers in the 32-69 range (61, 63, 69, 62, 59) are drawn just as often as any other but chosen by far fewer people. If you win with them, you are less likely to split the prize.
3. Engagement. Following the tables makes the game more interesting. That is a legitimate reason as long as it does not turn into a belief that the tables predict anything.
How Powerball AI uses hot and cold data
Our two engines use the frequency tables differently:
- The Statistical engine builds each play from an explicit blend: a few hot white balls, a few cold or overdue ones, and neutral fillers, then checks the odd/even and sum balance.
- The AI Engine (recommended) uses the same frequency, gap and pair data as inputs and scores thousands of candidate plays on how closely their structure matches the distribution of historical winners. It never claims to know the next draw.
Both engines are available from $0.99 for a single play in the shop, and every visitor gets one free prediction on the generate page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common Powerball numbers?
Since October 2015 the most frequently drawn white balls have been 61, 32, 21, 63 and 69; the most frequent Powerballs have been 18, 24 and 4. Exact counts are on our statistics page.
What are the least common Powerball numbers?
White balls 13, 34, 49 and 26 have been drawn least often; Powerballs 23, 15 and 12 trail the red-ball table.
Should I play hot numbers or cold numbers?
Neither strategy changes your odds. A balanced mix produces plays that resemble typical winning draws and are less likely to be shared, which is what our engines optimize for.
How often are the hot and cold numbers updated?
After every drawing, usually within the hour, three times a week.
Powerball is a game of chance. Play for entertainment, keep to a budget, and if you need help call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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