A couple has shared their story on how they uncovered a ‘loophole’ in the lottery system and won an astonishing $26 million. Like many of us, you might occasionally feel lucky—maybe after a bird poops on you (yes, it’s happened to me twice!)—and decide to buy a lottery ticket on a whim, hoping for the best.
Yet, for Jerry and Marge Selbee from Evart, Michigan, luck had little to do with their big win; instead, they used mathematics to decipher the lottery code and secured a cool $26 million. According to Investopedia, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, which hardly seems worth a flutter.
The Selbees found their golden ticket through a specific game known as Cash Winfall, which authorities later suspended after discovering it was being manipulated for profit. So, hold off on handing in your resignation letter just yet. Using a loophole in the Cash Winfall game, Jerry and Marge managed to claim multiple legitimate wins, amassing a total of $26 million.
The couple initially retired in their early 60s, planning only to relax and ‘enjoy life,’ a story they shared on CBS News’ 60 Minutes Overtime. Cash Winfall had a unique rule: if the jackpot reached $5 million without anyone matching all six numbers, the prize money would ‘roll down’ to those who won smaller amounts. Jerry, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, quickly figured out the potential in this system.
“If I played $1,100, mathematically I’d have one four-number winner—that’s $1,000,” Jerry explained. “I divided $1,100 by six instead of 57, doing a quick mental calculation, and I got 18. So I’d have 18 or 19 three-number winners, each bringing in $50.” (9News)
The savvy mathematician’s strategy soon proved to be very effective. The first time Jerry applied his method, he purchased $3,600 in Winfall tickets and won $6,300. His success continued, with larger investments yielding even greater returns. The Selbees involved their children and friends in their scheme, and when Michigan discontinued Winfall, they simply moved their operations to Massachusetts, where the game was still available.
“It’s just basic arithmetic,” Jerry said. “It was fulfilling to succeed at something that benefited not just us but also our friends and family.” However, the scheme eventually came to an end after the Boston Globe received a tip about the lottery game being exploited, prompting the Massachusetts Lottery to shut it down in 2011. By then, the Selbees and their group had already secured their fortune. Despite an investigation, authorities found that the couple had committed no crimes; they had merely discovered a loophole.
Their remarkable story was so compelling that it inspired a feature film titled Jerry & Marge Go Large, released last year with Bryan Cranston in the lead role. For those interested in seeing this incredible tale come to life, the movie is available on Paramount Plus.