Romanian-Australian economist Stefan Mandel reveals the ‘simple math’ behind his 14 lottery wins, targeting lotteries worldwide with a logistical masterstroke

Stefan Mandel, a Romanian-Australian economist, has made headlines by winning the lottery an astounding 14 times, attributing his success to “simple math.” Mandel, along with a syndicate called the International Lotto Fund, strategically targeted lotteries across the globe, employing a meticulous approach to secure the winning combinations.

Mandel shared insights into his winning strategy, emphasizing the feasibility of calculating all possible combinations. Collaborating with a group of investors and the International Lotto Fund, Mandel leveraged the power of logistics to print every conceivable ticket for a targeted lottery in Virginia, USA.

Selecting the Virginia lottery, Mandel recognized favorable odds—7,059,052 possible combinations due to state rules. Exploiting the option to print tickets at home, the syndicate utilized thirty computers to generate every ticket, securing a substantial haul of $27 million, including additional prizes for secondary winning tickets.

Mandel’s unparalleled success attracted the attention of fourteen international agencies, including the CIA and FBI, who investigated the syndicate for potential wrongdoing. Despite scrutiny, Mandel and the ILF were cleared of any charges. Following a bankruptcy declaration in 1995, Mandel continued to engage in various investment schemes, avoiding imprisonment despite legal challenges.

Currently residing on a remote tropical island off the coast of Australia, Mandel considers himself retired from the lottery. Despite numerous inquiries, he has never disclosed the precise algorithm used by his team to crack the lottery system, likening it to Coca-Cola protecting its secret recipe.