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Stefan MandelRomanian and Australian mathematician
Date of Birth: 01.01.1934
Country:  USA |
Content:
- The Lottery Mastermind: Stefan Mandel
- First Lottery Win and Immigration
- Betting on All Combinations in Australia
- Consecutive Jackpots and FBI Investigation
- Changing Lottery Rules
The Lottery Mastermind: Stefan Mandel
Early Life and Mathematical BreakthroughStefan Mandel, a Romanian-Australian mathematician, rose to fame for his groundbreaking method for winning the lottery, enabling him to claim the jackpot an astounding 14 times. Employing his mathematical prowess, Mandel devised a formula and algorithm that effectively "broke the system." After extensive research, he created a "number selection algorithm" based on a method he coined "combinatorial condensation." Mandel claimed his algorithm could predict 5 of the 6 numbers in the lotteries he played, reducing the pool of possible combinations from millions to thousands.
First Lottery Win and Immigration
Armed with his algorithm, Mandel struck his first substantial win in the Romanian lottery, amassing over 80,000 lei. In the 1980s, he and his family relocated to Israel and later to Australia.
Betting on All Combinations in Australia
Upon settling in Australia, Mandel realized that some lotteries offered prize pools significantly larger than the total number of combinations. This insight led him to develop a novel strategy: betting on all possible combinations. To illustrate, consider a lottery where players must select 6 numbers from 1 to 40. The total number of possible combinations is 3,838,380. By identifying a lottery with a prize pool of at least three times the number of combinations (e.g., $10 million USD in the example above), a substantial profit could be guaranteed. The only remaining challenge was to raise the necessary funds to cover all combinations (in our hypothetical example, $3,838,380) and fill out 3,838,380 tickets.
To streamline this process, Mandel wrote a computer program that automated the task of generating all possible combinations. He also coordinated a team of assistants who played the tickets and shared in the winnings.
Consecutive Jackpots and FBI Investigation
With his meticulous system in place, Mandel proceeded to win 13 consecutive jackpots, along with numerous second and third prizes. Notably, in 1992, he played a lottery in Virginia, USA, and not only won the jackpot but also six second prizes, 132 third prizes, and thousands of smaller prizes, amassing over $30 million.
Mandel's extraordinary success drew the attention of the CIA and FBI, who launched an investigation lasting over four years. However, authorities ultimately determined that Mandel had not violated any laws.
Changing Lottery Rules
In the wake of Mandel's numerous wins, lotteries around the world modified their rules to thwart his strategy, such as prohibiting the entry of bulk tickets outside designated betting venues. Despite these changes, Mandel's legacy lives on as a testament to the power of mathematical ingenuity and the spirit of innovation.
