How graduates managed to 'outsmart the lottery system' after finding a strategy that earned them over $6,000,000

The four Princeton University graduates targeted stores in four states as part of their mission

Experts have explained how four Princeton University alumni devised a method to 'beat' the lottery system and earn millions of dollars.

While the world was shutting down due to coronavirus lockdowns, Manuel Montori IV, Matthew Gibbons, Hannah Davinroy, and Zoë Buonaiuto were securing their status as 'millionaires'.

The group, associated with Montori's company Black Swan Capital, LLC, developed a system that allowed them to identify winning lottery tickets. In September 2020, Montori redeemed an astonishing 61 winning scratch-off tickets in just one day.

Altogether, the group acquired 66 winning tickets from various shops and gas stations across Indiana, Missouri, Washington, and the District of Columbia, earning a total of $6 million.

Speaking to Good Morning America about the group's winning streak, Philip Stark, Professor of Statistics at Cal Berkeley, commented: "They're either the luckiest people in the world or they discovered a way to beat the system."

So, how can you actually 'beat' the lottery? It requires a significant amount of time, effort, and money.

A manager from one of the stores where the group discovered their winning tickets told ABC News that the group would purchase every book of scratch-off tickets available at her store.

Estimates suggest that the group might have spent over $2 million on tickets, hoping their investment would lead to a profit.

Shopkeeper Darian from Bloomington, Indiana, informed The Indianapolis Star that Davinroy and Buonaiuto mentioned conducting a study after purchasing all the lottery tickets in stock.

Darian estimated that the duo spent over $48,000 in total at her store during their winning spree.

Experts investigating the winnings suggested that the group might have used publicly available data on past ticket results to boost their chances of success.

Some theorized that they targeted lottery tickets nearing discontinuation without a grand prize winner for that specific reason.

However, experts cautioned that purchasing hundreds of lottery tickets doesn't ensure a win, making the investment a gamble.

The winners chose not to disclose their strategies at the time, but there is no indication that the group acted outside the law.