🎲 Introduction

This project is a C++ command-line lottery simulation program that models real-world lotto systems using probability, combinatorics, and randomized dice rolls.

It simulates lottery drawings, calculates true odds mathematically, and repeatedly “plays” until a winning combination is achieved — tracking total rolls, cost, and statistical averages.

📚 Index

• About
• Usage
• Development
• Acknowledgements

🎯 About

This project is a console-based C++ lottery simulator designed to demonstrate:

• Combinatorics-based odds calculation (n choose k)
• Random number generation using std::mt19937_64
• Simulation of lottery roll repetition until win
• Duplicate prevention logic
• Sorting algorithms (insertion sort)
• Performance throttling based on CPU workload selection
• Statistical averaging across multiple lottery simulations
• File parsing using fstream and stringstream

The program allows users to:

• Choose predefined lottery systems (via lottoInfo.txt)
• Create a fully custom lottery configuration
• Simulate one or many lottery runs
• Calculate average rolls across multiple simulations
• Track total cost vs jackpot winnings

🏗 Usage

Write about how to use this project.

💻 Requirements

• C++17 compatible compiler
• g++ (Mac/Linux) or MinGW-w64 (Windows)
• VS Code (optional but recommended)

🖥 macOS Compilation (g++)

From the project directory:

g++ -std=c++17 main.cpp dice.cpp -o lotto

Run:

./lotto

If dice.cpp is not separate and is header-only, compile:

g++ -std=c++17 main.cpp -o lotto

🪟 Windows Compilation (VS Code + MinGW)

1. Install MinGW-w64
2. Ensure g++ is in your system PATH
3. Open VS Code in the project folder
4. Open terminal inside VS Code
5. Compile:

g++ -std=c++17 main.cpp dice.cpp -o lotto.exe

Run:

lotto.exe

▶ Running the Program

When launched:

1. Choose CPU workload mode
2. Select an existing lottery or create custom
3. Program simulates rolls until jackpot win
4. Displays:
   • Number of rolls required
   • Closest roll sets
   • Total ticket cost
   • Time elapsed
   • Average across repeated runs (if selected)

You may enter:

• y, yes, etc. to replay
• A number to simulate multiple runs for averaging

🛠 Development

If you want to modify or extend this program, follow the structure below.

📋 Pre-Requisites

• C++17 knowledge
• Understanding of:
  • Random number generation
  • Combinations (nCk)
  • Sorting algorithms
  • File I/O
  • Vectors and dynamic arrays

🧠 Core Program Features

• Lottery struct for configuration storage
• calculateOdds() for mathematical odds
• playLottery() for simulation engine
• doubles() legacy simulation mode
• Insertion sort for roll normalization
• Thread-local Mersenne Twister RNG
• CPU workload throttling using sleep_for
• Rolling statistics & averaging system

📂 Program Structure

Only the primary structure is shown below.

.
├── main.cpp
├── dice.h
├── dice.cpp
└── lottoInfo.txt

No	File	Details
1	main.cpp	Core lottery logic and simulation engine
2	dice.h	Dice class declaration
3	dice.cpp	Dice class implementation
4	lottoInfo.txt	Predefined lottery configurations

▶️ Build Notes

• Ensure lottoInfo.txt is in the same directory as the executable
• Must compile with -std=c++17 or newer
• Program uses <thread> and <chrono> for timing

🙏 Acknowledgements

Original Author from the 1980's (doubles function): Alen Bell
Updated & Documented by: Kenton Bell

Built using:

• C++17
• Standard Template Library (STL)
• Mersenne Twister RNG (std::mt19937_64)
• VS Code