So, like, have you ever wondered how to guarantee winning the lottery? I mean, it’s like every person’s dream, right? Well, apparently, the only way to do it is by buying every single number combination out there. And guess what? That’s exactly what a group of gamblers did, throwing the Texas state lottery into total chaos in the process.
The group was like, “Yo, if we buy 25.8 million $1 tickets with almost every possible six-number combo between 1 and 54, we’ll totally make a profit when the jackpot is sky-high.” And guess what? Their theory was put to the test in April 2023 when the Lotto Texas jackpot hit a whopping $95 million.
The whole scheme sounds like something straight out of a movie, right? Like a heist or something. The guy allegedly behind it even goes by the name ‘The Joker’. I mean, come on, could it be any more cliché? He’s probably sitting there with his crew, like, “And the best part? It’s all perfectly legal.”
In the end, a consortium led by a London-based trader named Bernard Marantelli snagged that $95 million jackpot by purchasing almost every single possible number combo at $1 per ticket. Talk about a bold move, right?
Technically, it was all above board. Nothing in the Texas state lottery code says you can’t buy every single number combo. But, like, since this win happened and they made a profit of $57.8 million before taxes, things are being looked at more closely now.
Surprisingly, details of this whole buying frenzy only came out after this lady who thought she won an $83.5 million jackpot fair and square got told she couldn’t collect her winnings because she bought the ticket through an app. I mean, talk about bad luck, right?
The Texas Lottery Commission was like, “Nope, we’re not having any of this.” They put a stop to all lottery courier services like Jackpocket, effective immediately. Boom, just like that.
And get this, there’s a whole drama unfolding where the first win could end up canceling out the second one. It’s like a soap opera, but with millions of dollars at stake.
The $95 million jackpot plan was cooked up by this guy named Bernard Marantelli, a former banker based in London. And he had this shadowy figure named Zeljko Ranogajec, also known as ‘The Joker’, backing him up. They even got an online ticket seller named Lottery.com in on the whole thing. It’s like a real-life Ocean’s Eleven, but with more numbers involved.
They even had the Texas Lottery Commission delivering terminals to print out all those tickets at warehouses in Texas. And in just three days, they managed to snag 99.3% of all the number combos. It’s like a race against time, but with a lot more math involved.
Now, the winners of that $95 million jackpot are just known as Rook TX, which is, like, super mysterious. But hey, they followed all the rules, right? At least, that’s what their lawyer says.
But then, you’ve got all these state officials questioning the integrity of the game. Some are calling it the biggest theft in Texas history. Others are like, “Nah, everything’s fine.” It’s like a big ol’ mess.
And now, there’s this ongoing investigation into both wins. The governor even got the Texas Rangers involved. It’s like a real-life detective story, but with more lottery tickets.
But hey, at least some winners are getting paid out, right? That’s good news for the Texas economy, I guess. Just gotta make sure the money stays where it’s won.
And in the end, whether it was that lady or some Jackpocket employee who bought the winning ticket, somebody’s walking away with millions. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions, but with dollar signs at the end.
