Episode description
In 2003 a retired maths genius from a small town in Michigan, Jerry Selbee, discovered a flaw in the state's newest lottery game, “Winfall". He realised that if he bought enough tickets in certain games he could almost guarantee he'd win a 50%-80% profit without relying on winning the jackpot.
It seemed he was the only one who understood statistics well enough to know this & over the next 9 years, Jerry & his wife Marge became professional lottery players & millionaires. And they’d still be playing & winning today...if it hadn’t been for some pesky college students & one nosy reporter...
Skip straight to the story: approx 23:48
Jacob shares the story with Dom Knight from The Chaser and ABC radio
Follow Dom on Twitter @domknight and Instagram @dom_knight
Listen to his daily podcast The Chaser Report: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-chaser-report/id1506693707
Catch him at the Grapes of Mirth Festival: https://grapesofmirth.com.au/the-festival/
We give you just the gist, but if you want more, there's this:
READ the report from the Inspector General which, we promise, is actually interesting https://www.mass.gov/doc/letter-to-state-treasurer-steven-grossman-regarding-the-lottery-july-2012/download
READ the Huffington Post article that made Jerry & Marge folk heroes https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/lotto-winners/
WATCH Jerry & Marge on 60 Minutes US a few years back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTYnHr_-wcY
And WATCH them on 60 Minutes Australia earlier this year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akFS0odjAHs
WATCH The delightful fictionalised version of the story, “Jerry & Marge Go Large” https://www.paramountplus.com/movies/jerry-and-marge-go-large/95QRsJSm8rKlkLhEwvOprBjMswbY_3an/
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