How lottery legend Joan Ginther used odds, Uncle Sam to win millions

Comment #8

maringoman — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 00:52:32 GMT

I agree with you on the last paragraph. I knew a guy who would not flinch dropping $30 on PB tickets for each draw. His reasoning was you only have to be right once to be set for life and that you only live once. I was intrigued by that philosophy but I am not that brave. Not yet anyways. Oh and that guy did finally hit for a $1M on one $10 scratch off.

Comment #7

RJOh — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 20:56:07 GMT

All the system I've ever seen for sale depend on magic rather than a mathematical scheme that is explained while Ginther seems to have figured out a scheme that spends lots of money but comes out ahead in the end.

Comment #6

LottoMetro — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 17:54:51 GMT

Even though this story is 4 years old and has been rehashed by various reporters, something else that hasn't really been addressed is Ginther's non-lottery activities. We know she is a Stanford PhD, and I believe retired now. Who knows how much income and savings she earned from her career with those credentials, not to mention any investments. I mean, she was vacationing in the Virgin islands when she found out about the first Lotto Texas win (not to jump to conclusions but that speaks lengths... [ More ]

Comment #5

haymaker — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 17:25:33 GMT

Rjoh,

your answer for #2 is why I don't buy anyone's system for winning.

Comment #4

NightStalker — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 17:25:23 GMT

I saw your original comment. What lead you to the conclusion that she was not playing honestly

Comment #3

RJOh — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 16:29:40 GMT

The reporter asks two question of which the answers should be obvious.

1. Why would Ginther, a math-savvy woman with a Ph.D. from Stanford, leave her home in Las Vegas, a block from three casinos, to devote countless hours to lottery longshots?

2. She could resolve the mystery by cashing in again by telling all in a book or selling her story to Hollywood.

It was obvious she made more money playing the lotteries in Texas than she could playing the casinos in Vegas.

If someone disco... [ More ]

Comment #2

morgothaod — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 16:23:47 GMT

So much for freedom of speech

Comment #1

NightStalker — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:19:27 GMT

It certainly doesn't hurt that she had that extra $270,000 coming in each year. Seems like a smart strategy if it pays off.

How lottery legend Joan Ginther used odds, Uncle Sam to win millions

Lottery Post — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:07:33 GMT

By Peter Mucha, Philly.com

Second of three parts See Part 1

Joan Ginther wasn't necessarily lottery loco.

Maybe it wasn't a case of dumb luck, but smart luck.

She may have purchased at least 80,000 pricey tickets worth $2 million or more, according to expert analysis of 28 instant prizes she won, including three totalling $15 million.

If she also was the source of two dozen lesser wins by her friend Anna Morales, Ginther might have spurred the purchase of as many as 100,000 ticket... [ More ]