He won the lottery 14 times using a mathematical trick that forced them to change the rules

Romanian mathematician Stefan Mandel developed a unique strategy to overcome the astronomical odds of winning the lottery. Instead of relying on luck, Mandel applied mathematical principles to significantly increase his probability of winning. Over the years, he and investment groups he organized secured lottery wins a remarkable 14 times.

Mandel's core approach, which he termed 'combinatorial condensation,' focused on identifying lotteries where the number of possible combinations was manageable and the jackpot was substantial enough to justify the cost of purchasing a vast number of tickets. Ideally, he aimed to buy every possible combination.

His first significant success occurred in Romania, where a syndicate he formed won approximately $19,000. This initial win provided Mandel with the capital to relocate his family to Australia. There, he escalated his efforts by establishing the International Lotto Fund, pooling resources from investors to finance mass ticket purchases across various lotteries in Romania, Australia, and the United States.

One of Mandel's most famous operations took place in early 1990s Virginia. His group attempted to purchase nearly all possible combinations for the state lottery, calculating that the jackpot, then around $27 million, combined with smaller prizes, would yield a profit. Although they won the jackpot and numerous smaller prizes, this industrial-scale approach attracted the attention of U.S. authorities, including the FBI. Despite investigations, Mandel was not convicted for his lottery strategy itself, which exploited loopholes in the rules at the time.

However, Mandel's story did not end with a fairytale conclusion. He endured years of legal and financial disputes, ultimately declaring personal bankruptcy in 1995, shortly after the Virginia win. Lottery companies subsequently revised their rules, introducing restrictions on mass ticket purchases and creating additional barriers to automated combination generation, making Mandel's strategy virtually impossible to replicate today.