How many times have you dreamed win the lottery? The lottery has its roots in ancient civilizations, where draws were used to finance public projects. In ancient China, for example, “Keno” had been used since the 2nd century BC to raise funds, a precursor to modern lotteries. In Europe, the lottery originated in the 15th century, with Belgium, France and Italy organizing draws to finance public and charitable works. In 1445, L’Ecluse in Belgium organized one of the first documented lotteries, offering prizes including goods such as wine and cloth.
In the 16th century, the popularity of lotteries It has developed and become institutionalized in several European countries. The first official lottery in England was held in 1569 for finance shipbuilding. Despite the expansion, there have been periods of bans due to concerns over gambling and corruption. The 17th century saw an increase in the use of lotteries to finance public projects in Francewhere King Louis banned in the United Statesbut in the 20th century they re-emerged as a fundraising tool.
The definitive trick to winning the lottery
The probability of win the jackpot in the Christmas lottery is 1 in 100,000, a significantly higher figure compared to other games of chance, such as Primitiva (1 in 139,838,160) and EuroMillions (1 in 76,275,360). Throughout history, some have attempted to use mathematics to increase their chances of success in these lucky draws.
A notable case is that of Stefan Mandel, Romanian-Australian mathematician who managed to win the lottery 14 times thanks to an ingenious method called “combinatorial condensation”. This strategy is based on analyzing drawing history to identify combinations with the highest probability of winning, thus avoiding the need to purchase all possible combinations, which would be extremely expensive.
Mandel formed a consortium of investors to finance the massive purchase of tenths which covered the identified combinations. One of his biggest accomplishments came in 1992, when his group acquired more than 7 million Virginia Lottery tickets, allowing them to win the $27 million top prize and several secondary prizes. .
Mandel’s success attracted the attention of American authoritieswho studied his method, but found no irregularities. However, his strategy led to changes in the regulation of lotteries, prohibiting the mass purchase of tickets and the use of computerized systems, in order to protect the integrity of the draws and prevent others from replicating his method .
Stefan Mandel Method
- Mandel chose draws whose jackpot was at least three times the total number of possible combinations. This ensured that the profit potential exceeded the investment.
- For a draw in which six numbers between 1 and 40 must be chosen (similar to the EuroMillions format), the total of possible combinations has been calculated, which in this case amounts to 3,838,380.
- After selecting the right draw, Mandel organized a massive investment to purchase tickets covering every possible combination. For example, if the total price was 10 million euros and each tenth cost one euro, investing in all combinations would generate a potential profit of 6,161,620 euros after deducting the cost of the tenths.
- To realize his project, Mandel formed a consortium of investors who provided him with the capital necessary to acquire the required volume of tenths.
- With the money raised, he bought tickets in different betting houses to maximize his chances and cover all the combinations identified.
Christmas Lottery
He first prize in the Christmas lottery is El Gordo, which awards €4 million per series, with a winning probability of 1 in 100,000. Other top prizes include second, offering €1,250,000, and third, offering €500,000, both with the same odds of 1 in 100,000. In addition, there are two fourth prizes of 200,000 euros and eight fifth prizes of 60,000 euros, which increases the chances of winning.
Generally speaking, the probability of obtaining Christmas lottery prizes It is considerably higher than in other lotteries, since it is estimated that around 70% of tickets purchased result in something being won.
In comparison, the Primitiva and the Euromillions They have much lower chances of winning, with respectively 1 in 139,838,160 and 1 in 76,275,360. Thus, the Christmas Lottery is consolidated as one of the most anticipated draws of the year in Spain, not only because of the prices, but also because of the tradition and the festive atmosphere that surrounds it.
With over 200 years of history, there remains a symbol of hope and joyconsolidating itself as one of the most appreciated and awaited seasonal traditions in our country
