Let's take a closer look at what they did. This is my understanding based on the UK article. In case any one wants to try it!
The Lottery is a 6/49 number lottery. The syndicate has 17 persons. They need 17 tickets. Here is how they generated the 17 tickets
PHASE I
1. They put the 49 numbers on slips of paper.
2. Each person dipped and selected 6 pieces of paper-six numbers.
Note: 6*8=48...so only eight persons can select from this pool...and each subsequent pewrson who dips has a smaller pool to pick from. The eight person doesn't have much of a "choice"---there are only 7 slips of paper to select 6 from.
3. After the 8 persons have chosen their six numbers/slips of paper/number..there is one paper/number left
4. They write down the sets of six(6) numbers---eight (8)sets in all
PHASE II
5. They Start another round beginning with the last number left from Phase I
6. They now have another 8 numbers
Total: 16 sets of numbers (6 in each set)
PHASE III
7. They go for one last round
Note: Only one (1) person gets to choose 5 numbers (plus the one left from Phase II) from a pool of 48. We would need to know what system they used to decide who picks firs and last to analyse even more closely.
They now have all 17 person with their set of six numbers...
These are the tickets they will play until....
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Article: Syndicate leader Barry Waterhouse said: "We just weren't winning with the numbers being picked.
"So we thought of a different method which would mean all 49 numbers would be used.
"We just had to stick with the numbers and we knew we would win eventually."-emphases suppllied
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He is talking nonsense. They could never KNOW. They acted on faith--like the church-going "illiterates" and "ignoramuses" they despise so much. It is an embarassment for them as teachers of logic and reason. A rich embarassment but an embarassment nonetheless. "I'd rather be rich than rational/right" ought to be their motto. I concur.