An event can be possible and still be extraordinarily unlikely. Possibility asks whether an outcome can occur; probability asks how often we should expect it under the rules.

A valid line proves possibility only

If a combination follows the game format, it is eligible to be drawn. That does not distinguish it from the many other valid combinations in the same outcome space.

Stories can hide the denominator

A winner’s story is memorable because the event happened. To understand likelihood, you also need the enormous number of entries and non-winning outcomes that are less visible.

Use the right sentence

“This could happen” is a statement about possibility. “This is likely to happen” requires probability evidence. Swapping the two is a common source of misleading claims.

How to use this information

Keep the article beside the original result, rule page or official archive you are checking. Record the game and date, separate published facts from interpretations, and follow the authorized operator when a prize, deadline or ticket verification is involved.

Bottom line: possible is a yes-or-no property; likely is a quantitative judgment, and the two should never be treated as synonyms.