A mathematician has revealed a “simple” loophole that a man from the U.S. used to win millions in the lottery, which is said to be “100 percent legal.” Dr. Clio Cresswell, like many others, was intrigued by the story of Jerry and Marge Selbee from Michigan. Their impressive strategy inspired the comedy-drama film “Jerry & Marge Go Large,” featuring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening, which highlights the importance of their discovery based on “basic mathematics.”
For those unfamiliar with this fascinating couple, here’s a brief overview. Jerry and Marge, who ran a convenience store, intended to retire and enjoy life after selling their business in 2003. However, during a visit to his former store, Jerry stumbled upon a new lottery game called Winfall and picked up a brochure.
With a background in mathematics and a bachelor’s degree in the subject, Jerry quickly recognized a unique feature of the game. He noted that Winfall included a “rolldown,” meaning that if no one won the jackpot by matching all six numbers, the accumulated funds would be distributed among winners in lower tiers. This allowed players who matched five, four, or even three numbers to receive considerably larger payouts.
Jerry stated that he had “cracked the code,” although his explanation might be too intricate for most people to grasp. He told CBS News that he assumed many others would have also noticed this loophole.
Most people didn’t notice the loophole, allowing Jerry and Marge to profit from their strategic lottery play. They eventually involved family and friends and soon scaled up their efforts, playing with thousands of dollars. In 2005, when the Winfall game was discontinued in Michigan, they found a similar game in Massachusetts called Cash Winfall. This discovery allowed them to intensify their play, spending over $600,000 per session, playing 10 hours a day for 10 days straight.
Eventually, the Massachusetts state treasurer decided to discontinue the Cash Winfall game, by which time Jerry and Marge had amassed an impressive £23 million. While some called Jerry a ‘mathematical genius,’ Dr. Clio Cresswell disagrees, arguing that Jerry simply had a talent for spotting opportunities. In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, the senior lecturer from The University of Sydney shared her insights into how Jerry was able to win so frequently.
Cresswell pointed out that, unlike Jerry, “most people aren’t constantly analyzing lottery numbers,” herself included. She remarked, “As a mathematician, I’m not particularly focused on numbers and wouldn’t have noticed those patterns. Lotteries already have highly educated mathematicians tracking these numbers, so I wouldn’t try to profit in a field where experts are deeply involved. However, this case was unique because the rolldown feature created a highly favorable opportunity.”
She explained the loophole: “The key was that even players who matched only three of the six numbers could still win a substantial amount since the prize money rolled down to them. So, instead of always needing to match all six numbers, they could make significant money by hitting just three. By purchasing hundreds of thousands of tickets, they were making a big investment—there was still some risk, but they were also enjoying the excitement of playing the game.”
Dr. Clio Cresswell explained that Jerry was able to predict how much money would be available during the rolldown phase. She noted that while most people wouldn’t spot the ‘patterns in the numbers’ the way Jerry did, they should have. Cresswell said, “All it took was basic math to realize, ‘Wait, something’s happening here.’” She added, “I wouldn’t call him a math genius, but he’s certainly observant.”
Jerry saw the opportunity where others might have missed it, often relying on familiar patterns like picking birthdays. Cresswell emphasized that Jerry knew any number could be selected, especially when the odds were so advantageous. “It’s simple math,” she concluded, “and it’s impressive that he recognized it.” Perhaps we should have paid more attention in math class, right?