Posted on: December 6, 2023, 06:56h.
Last updated on: December 6, 2023, 06:56h.
Math indicates that buying multiple lottery tickets may not boost your chances of winning. Despite this, a Chinese lottery player defied the odds and scored big by purchasing 50,000 lottery tickets with the same number.
A resident of Nanchang, located in Jiangxi province, eastern China, struck it rich by winning CNY220 million (US$30 million). The lucky individual reportedly spent CNY100,000 (US$13,970) to purchase the tickets for the Happy 8 lottery, all with the same numbers. When the numbers hit in the lottery draw, each ticket became a winner.
Lucky Rabbit
In the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2023 is the year of the rabbit, representing a year of “hope and prosperity,” which proved true for the lottery winner.
The winning streak occurred on December 2 when the man purchased the tickets for the Happy 8 pick-7 lottery game. He visited various vendors across Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province, purchasing the tickets with the same numbers.
The gamble paid off the same day he bought the tickets when the lottery draw took place. Each of the 50,000 tickets secured a single prize of CNY4,475 (about US$625), culminating in the monumental prize.
He claimed the life-changing sum only a few days later when he visited the local lottery headquarters in Jiangxi.
There, he disclosed a history of consistently purchasing lottery tickets over five years, spending anywhere from thousands to tens of thousands of yuan on tickets. Over the five-year span, he may have spent more than $1 million on tickets, but the windfall puts him way ahead in ROI.
The Big Fix?
Chinese social media sparked speculation about the big win, leading some to theorize that it was fixed. It was the most logical explanation for someone spending that much money on the same numbers and then winning.
In the Happy 8 lottery, the number of winning numbers on a ticket determines the size of the prize. Since he matched all seven and won, he took the top prize, multiplying it by the number of tickets he purchased.
People on Chinese social media channels are skeptical about the results, questioning the legitimacy of the draw and whether the man had insider information.
They wonder if it was a ploy by the Chinese government to increase interest in the lottery, which funds civic programs. However, the Chinese Welfare Lottery, which administers various lotteries, didn’t mention the massive win on its website.
The truth behind the recent win remains shrouded in unpredictability and some serendipity, intriguing lottery players and critics alike.