T here's no way to guarantee that you'll win a state lottery. But there are steps to improve your odds of winning -- and to increase your payout.

Play only when the jackpot is worthwhile. Then spend more on that drawing to get the maximum odds reduction. Getting two tickets cuts the odds in half... 10 tickets reduce the odds to 1/10 of the original odds.

Examples: In New York, the odds of winning with a $1 ticket are 18 million to one. So -- mathematically, you should play only when the jackpot is $18 million or more. In California, the odds are 19 million to one. In Powerball -- played in 20 states -- the odds are 80 million to one.

Call your local lottery commission for the odds in your state.

Don't let the machine select your numbers. About 65% of all players let the machine pick their numbers. But machine-assisted players win only 45% of all jackpots. This is caused by the strange combinations generated by the Quick Pick programs inside each terminal.

Avoid playing the most popular numbers. If you win, you will likely have to share your prize -- and possibly with a distressingly large group, which reduces the size of your winnings.

The most common numbers selected by players are between one and 10. Low numbers are popular partly because many people play birthday numbers and other significant dates.

Many players choose all the numbers in a vertical row... or choose numbers that form a diagonal.

Studies in the US and Canada have revealed that the most picked lottery numbers are 3-7-9-11-25-27... and the least popular, 20-30-39-40-41-48.

Better: Always play at least some noncalendar numbers to ensure a larger payoff if you win. Also, play pairs of consecutive numbers (14-15). Most people avoid them, but about 50% of drawings contain at least one pair.