Lunchtime: longest-absent numbers

Picked the 6 numbers that have gone longest without being drawn: 1 (16 draws), 2 (10 draws), 6 (17 draws), 12 (40 draws), 13 (10 draws), 35 (14 draws). On average a number comes up every 8.2 draws. A long gap does not make a number more likely to be drawn next.

1. Take every official draw we hold.
2. For each number, count the draws since it last came up.
3. Pick the numbers with the longest gaps.

Limits: No number is ever "due". Each draw is independent, so a long gap changes nothing.

Replayed over the last 100 draws, this strategy averaged 0.77 hits a draw. Random numbers average 0.73.