The lottery has long been a popular game of chance, with millions of people around the world trying their luck in the hopes of striking it rich.
However, for Romanian-born mathematician Stefan Mandel, winning the lottery was not a matter of luck, but rather a calculated formula.
Mandel managed to win the lottery an incredible 14 times, using a six-step formula that allowed him to hack the system and come out on top.
Mandel’s story is one of ingenuity and determination, as he used his mathematical skills to outsmart the lottery system and secure multiple wins.
His formula involved calculating the total number of possible combinations, finding lotteries with jackpots three times or more the number of possible combinations, raising enough cash to pay for each combination, printing out millions of tickets with every combination, delivering the tickets to authorized lottery dealers, and ultimately winning the cash.
Although Mandel’s scheme is no longer possible due to new laws in the US and Australia, his story serves as a fascinating example of how mathematics can be used to beat the odds and achieve incredible success.
Here is the six step formula that worked for him:
1. Calculate the total number of possible combinations, which varies depending on the specific lottery rules.
For instance, if a lottery requires you to select six numbers from a pool of 1 to 40, the total number of combinations amounts to an impressive 3,838,380 possibilities.
2. Seek out lotteries where the jackpot surpasses three times the number of possible combinations.
This criterion ensures that the potential payout justifies the extensive effort and investment required.
3. Raise sufficient funds to cover the acquisition of each combination.
In the case of Stefan Mandel, a lottery enthusiast from Romania, he rallied together a group of 2,524 investors to finance his ambitious endeavor to conquer the Virginia lottery.
4. Print out an immense quantity of tickets, each bearing a unique combination.
While this approach was once legally permissible, it now requires the purchase of tickets directly from authorized lottery vendors due to revised regulations.
5. Undertake the crucial task of delivering the printed tickets to authorized lottery dealers.
This step ensures that the tickets are made available for sale to eager lottery participants.
6. Finally, seize the moment and claim the coveted cash prize, ensuring that the winnings are duly distributed among the investors.
Stefan Mandel’s shrewd efforts in 1987 resulted in a remarkable $1.3 million jackpot, from which he personally pocketed $97,000 while honoring his financial commitments to the investors who had supported his venture.