Tag Archives: how to pick random lottery numbers with sql

How to pick random numbers between two numbers with T-SQL

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Below is a T-SQL example that will pick a random number between 1 and 50. 

SELECT CAST(RAND() * (51 - 1) + 1 AS INT) AS Random#

That’s a bit boring though.
What about parameters?
What about a use case?
Where’s the familiar glamour of coding with T-SQL?

I hear ya.

Below is a T-SQL example that could make you a multimillionaire!

This T-SQL code will pick random numbers for the Euromillions lottery.

Good luck.

DECLARE @a INT;
DECLARE @b INT;
DECLARE @count INT;
DECLARE @pick INT;

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS #Num;

CREATE TABLE #Num (
	Number INT
	,NumberType VARCHAR(255)
	);

SET @a = 1
SET @b = 51
SET @count = 1

WHILE @count < 6
BEGIN
	SET @pick = CAST(RAND() * (@b - @a) + @a AS INT)

	IF (
			SELECT Number
			FROM #Num
			WHERE Number = @pick
			AND NumberType = 'Main'
			) IS NULL
	BEGIN
		INSERT INTO #Num (
			Number
			,NumberType
			)
		SELECT @pick
			,'Main';

		SET @count = @count + 1
	END
END

SET @a = 1
SET @b = 13
SET @count = 1

WHILE @count < 3
BEGIN
	SET @pick = CAST(RAND() * (@b - @a) + @a AS INT)

	IF (
			SELECT Number
			FROM #Num
			WHERE Number = @pick
			AND NumberType = 'Lucky'
			) IS NULL
	BEGIN
		INSERT INTO #Num (
			Number
			,NumberType
			)
		SELECT @pick
			,'Lucky';

		SET @count = @count + 1
	END
END

SELECT Number
	,NumberType
FROM #Num
ORDER BY NumberType DESC
,Number ASC;

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