Screw Odds, I’m Buying All the Lottery Tickets!!!

Is It Possible to Purchase Every Possible Combination?

If you were a billionaire and money was of no issue, what would stop you from purchasing every possible lottery combination for the Mega Millions? More to the point, IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE to buy every single combination? Well, the idea might sound clever at first, but there are some major logistical and practical obstacles in the way. Let’s break it down.

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The Backstory: When an Australian Syndicate Tried It

On February 25th, 1992, an Australian investor syndicate made headlines by nearly pulling off what many dream of: buying enough lottery tickets to guarantee a jackpot win. The odds of winning the $27 million Virginia Lottery were 1 in 7 million. The group managed to buy approximately 5 million of the 7 million possible combinations (time constraints prevented them from purchasing every combination)—and they did, in fact, win the jackpot.

This event was so shocking that Virginia lottery officials were left scrambling to figure out how to stop such a scheme from happening again. There was public outcry, with one annoyed local saying, “People just don’t want to wait in line behind someone who has been there for days, buying tickets.” Lottery terminals were clogged, with one store even shutting down its machine for hours to print the tickets.

After the incident, then-Governor L. Douglas Wilder introduced a rule that required stores to serve regular customers in line before dealing with large bulk orders. Even with these regulations, the story remains a crazy real-life example of someone nearly “gaming” the lottery system.

The Logistics of Bulk Purchasing

In theory, purchasing every combination seems like a way to beat the system. After all, if you have the funds, why not hedge your bets by covering every possible number? But logistically, it’s a nightmare.

Typically, when you buy a lottery ticket, you have to fill out a scantron sheet or provide your numbers to the lottery terminal. Imagine trying to fill out 7 million scantrons! You’d need a team of people working around the clock just to make a dent. And then there’s the matter of printing those tickets—lottery terminals aren’t exactly speed demons. The Australian syndicate in 1992 bypassed some of this hassle by paying multiple retailers to handle the bulk purchasing for them. Even then, they could only buy 5 million tickets due to time constraints.

Let’s not forget the time window. In the case of big lotteries like Mega Millions or Powerball, draws happen twice a week. That leaves a very limited time to purchase millions of tickets, making it nearly impossible to print them all out in time.

The Modern-Day Challenge

Fast forward to today. Could you still attempt this strategy in the digital age? Technically, yes, but the same challenges persist. Many state lotteries have strict rules about bulk purchasing to prevent a single individual or group from monopolizing the tickets. Even online lottery ticket services, like TheLotter, allow you to purchase tickets in bulk but often with limits to prevent scenarios like the 1992 Virginia incident.

Additionally, lotteries now utilize more sophisticated algorithms and ticket distribution systems. The sheer scale of purchasing millions of tickets, even online, would be difficult to execute without raising flags or triggering anti-fraud measures.

What If You Did Win?

Let’s say, against all odds (pun intended), you manage to buy all the tickets or enough of them to ensure a win. What happens next?

First, you’d be swimming in a sea of 4,999,999 losing tickets. You’d have to sort through them to find your winning one—a logistical headache in itself. And then there’s the matter of disposing of all those losing tickets. But let’s say you do find the winning ticket among the mountain of paper. Congratulations! You just won the jackpot… but hold on, there are more complications.

Imagine you spent $5 million to buy all the tickets, and the jackpot is $27 million. Subtract your initial investment, and you’re walking away with a cool $22 million. Sounds like a good deal, right? But what if there’s another winner? The jackpot will be split, and suddenly, that massive payout becomes a lot less attractive. In fact, you could end up losing money.

For example, let’s say you split the $27 million with two other winners. You’re now left with $9 million before taxes. After federal and state taxes, you might be left with a lot less than your initial $5 million investment. Ouch.

Can You Even Guarantee a Win?

While the 1992 Virginia incident is an example of a syndicate successfully pulling off this strategy, the odds aren’t always in your favor. The problem is, while you can buy every possible combination of numbers, you can’t control how many other people are playing. A jackpot that gets large enough to be worth the investment will also attract other players. The more players there are, the more likely it is that you’ll have to split the jackpot, making your all-in strategy far riskier than it seems.

In the rare event that no one else wins, you’ve still got to deal with the expenses—taxes, fees, and the logistical costs of buying and managing all those tickets. The Australian syndicate was successful, but that doesn’t mean everyone who tries will be as lucky (or as rich) in the end.

What About Today’s Super Jackpots?

These days, the jackpots for Mega Millions and Powerball regularly hit astronomical amounts, often surpassing $1 billion. The idea of buying every ticket might seem more tempting than ever. But remember, the larger the jackpot, the more people play. You’re almost guaranteed to have to split the prize with others, making the strategy financially questionable at best.

And then there’s the issue of how complex modern lotteries have become. With more combinations, higher ticket prices, and stricter regulations, it’s not as simple as just walking in and buying out all the tickets. Even if you had unlimited funds, the logistics and the time required to make it happen are daunting.

Conclusion: Is It Worth It?

So, could you buy every single lottery combination? Yes, technically it’s possible. But practically, the time, money, and logistical headaches make it an almost impossible task. And even if you do manage to buy all the tickets, there’s no guarantee you’ll be the only winner, meaning you could still walk away with a loss.

In the end, the lottery is designed to be a game of chance. While stories like the 1992 Virginia syndicate make for interesting anecdotes, they’re exceptions rather than the rule. So, unless you’ve got a few million dollars burning a hole in your pocket—and a team of people willing to spend hours filling out scantrons—your best bet is to play the lottery the way it was intended: for fun.