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The vast majority of individuals never win the lottery in their lifetimes, and if they do, it’s more likely to be £10 than $1 million. Some choose their own numbers, while others opt for the lucky dip option.
However, one man had the lottery down to a science and won a tonne of money doing it.
Find out why this young woman wanted to sue the lottery after winning a huge jackpot…
Stefan Mandel broke the rules and won an incredible 14 massive jackpots, but his success ultimately failed.
Mandel, who was desperate for money, discovered the truth when he cleverly acquired thousands for himself.
The Romanian economist developed a ground-breaking ‘number-picking algorithm’ based on his ground-breaking method known as ‘combinatorial condensation’ over the course of many years of rigorous preparation and mathematical investigation.
Stefan discovered the startling discovery that, in some lottery draws, the cost of buying every possible ticket combination was surprisingly less than the amount of the jackpot award.
Consider a game where participants had to choose six numbers between 1 and 40, resulting in a total of 3,838,380 different number combinations.
Stefan felt he might maybe make a sizeable profit in the event that the prize reached £10 million and tickets were £1 apiece.
Stefan formed a syndicate with a group of friends that put a lot of money into tickets that covered all possible combinations.
Their efforts culminated in winning the grand prize, an astounding sum that exceeded £15,000.
Following the division of earnings among his fellow teammates, Stefan found himself with £3,000 remaining.
Although a reduced amount, it proved sufficient to provide bribes and facilitate his escape from Romania’s Communist regime.
Stefan, his wife, and their two kids started a new chapter in Australia in the 1960s with the intention of starting over.
Stefan used a cunning strategy to accomplish the amazing feat of winning the lottery a total of 14 times while abiding by the law in every single instance.
Stefan successfully convinced a collective of investors to combine their funds, resulting in the formation of an expanded lotto syndicate.
In such syndicates, individuals contribute money to create a shared pool for purchasing lottery tickets.
The participants in turn split the winnings among themselves.
Stefan developed an automated method that used printers and computers to use his algorithm for automatically printing tickets that covered every conceivable number combination as his syndicate grew in popularity.
This innovative approach propelled the group’s success, leading them to secure 12 lottery jackpots and numerous substantial prizes in both Australia and the UK. However, as Stefan’s achievements drew attention, authorities initiated investigations into him and his syndicate.
In response, lottery administrators changed the rules to forbid buying multiple tickets at once and using computer-generated entries.
However, Stefan persisted in his resolve and kept looking for fresh possibilities.
Having amassed considerable profits, Stefan used his resources to strategically position ‘scouts’ throughout the United States.
Additionally, he compiled a comprehensive list of past lotteries featuring jackpots that surpassed the sum of all potential number combinations by at least threefold.
His keen focus fell upon the Virginia Lottery, which limited its number selection to a range between one and 44.
This restriction significantly reduced the total number of possible combinations compared to other games. Establishing an official company named Pacific Financial Resources, Stefan further devised a trust called the International Lotto Fund.
Within a warehouse located in Melbourne, Stefan employed a dedicated team of 16 full-time personnel who diligently printed a staggering seven million tickets over the course of three months.
These meticulously crafted tickets were then dispatched to an associate residing in the United States.
As luck would have it, the syndicate struck it rich, winning not only the desired jackpot but also numerous other prestigious awards.
Mandel was involved in a protracted legal dispute that lasted four years despite the fact that his strategy was not ruled to be illegal.
He was ultimately cleared of all charges.
Even though he was successful in making millions from his successes, his investors received much lower rewards than they had originally expected.
Consequently, Stefan found himself compelled to file for bankruptcy in 1995.
In response to his methodology, all US states have since enacted laws that prohibit the use of his strategy.
In a direct interview with the Romanian daily Bursa in 2012, the person who won these incredible sums downplayed the dangers he had taken despite the size of his wager.
“I’m a man who takes risks, but in a calculated way,” he declared.
Trimming my beard is like playing the lottery: I could cut myself, get an infection in my blood, and die, yet I still do it.
“The chances are in my favour.”
Now residing on the tropical island of Vanuatu, at the age of 89, Mandel lives alongside many of his former syndicate members who also chose to retire there.
