A doubly-amazing lottery story

[@lateralcast]

BOOK OUT NOW!: www.lateralcast.com/book FULL EPISODE: www.lateralcast.com/episodes/111

[@undine120]

FYI, if you do play the lottery, pick random numbers above 31. Too many people pick birthdays, and by picking numbers that aren't able to be birthdays, you reduce the pool of people who you might split the prize with if you win. Won't increase your odds, but it will decrease the number of people you have to split with.

[@shahtamzid]

Net expected earnings are still negative, so trying to be financially rational while playing the lottery is a bit of a paradox.

[@hebl47]

But don't pick 37.

[@JasperJanssen]

@@shahtamzidless negative, though.

[@undine120]

@@hebl47 One lost number won't hurt, it's only the multi-number prizes that are shared

[@8-bitcentral31]

@@hebl47 Yes! Did you watch the Veritasium video.

[@Sylocat]

From the wording of the question, I immediately figured out that the ticket wasn't for the Massachussetts state lottery, but the second art of the question was truly mind blowing.

[@jonathan_60503]

Same. The "state lottery" vs "Massachusetts" jumped out at me immediately. But I had no clue on the "especially disappointing". (I was thinking it might be something like she lived in Massachusetts but had bought a ticket elsewhere -- definitely didn't suspect the true disappointment!)

[@RFC3514]

Yeah, it was pretty obvious. I was surprised it took them so long.

[@empath69]

@@jonathan_60503 yeah, same here - we should've paid more attention to the title of the video: "A *doubly*-amazing lottery story" When Tom said "that's the first part of the question out of the way" I thought 'No way, she didn't...' but yeah.

[@retrogiftsuk4812]

The thumbnail is a big clue too. The woman is holding 2 different coloured tickets (though admittedly they look more like scratch cards than lottery tickets)

[@IceMetalPunk]

Same!

[@romainsavioz5466]

The title made me think about the guy who won and then won again during the tv interview

[@ihathtelekinesis]

Same here! Wasn’t he the guy who’d had a near-death experience?

[@MysteriousMag3]

​@@ihathtelekinesis Wasn't he like stuck by lightning or had a car crash and ended up in a coma for like a week or two woke up from the coma and bought the winning ticket and then won again while in the news. Though I think they might have been scratchers instead of the actual lottery.

[@romainsavioz5466]

@ihathtelekinesis yes

[@panda4247]

@MysteriousMag3 was his name Earl?

[@piperevelyn2446]

"Million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten." -Terry Pratchett

[@michaelrich4357]

My immediate thought!

[@faenethlorhalien]

It's actually extremely rare, but because of how rare it is, when it happens it becomes news. Basically confirmation bias.

[@ideallyyours]

Depending on how often you roll for that chance - it could almost be guaranteed to happen.

[@macdjord]

Yeah, but what if it's only a thousand-to-one? Have you ever heard someone say 'This is a thousand-to-one chance, but it *just might work!'* ? The chances against that must be, like... a million-to-one.

[@LiveFreeOrDieDH]

There are infinite possible things that qualify as a "million-to-one" chances. So the likelihood that one such occurrence would happen within a certain time period is high. It's nearly certain that some "million-to-one" thing will happen to you at some point in your life. You just don't know when or where or what that thing will be. Let's put this in perspective: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. That means that each parent can contribute 2^23 different combinations of chromosomes to their offspring. So two parents together can produce (2^23)^2 unique offspring, without factoring in crossover between paired chromosomes. In other words, the chance of you being "you" was 1 in 64 Trillion.

[@arcanics1971]

I have played the Lottery several times over the years, and spent around £20. When I won £50 last time, I decided to stay ahead and have never played again.

[@JonatasAdoM]

I almost won a month's salary by one missing number. I didn't play either so nothing lost heh.

[@skycaptain95]

Absolutely correct way to play, from someone who has won $8 on the lottery and lost $448 :)

[@caltheuntitled8021]

This sounds like a time traveler that didn’t read their notes correctly. Either that or an actual psychic that could use a little more practice.

[@EdwardMillen]

Exactly what I thought! lol

[@JonatasAdoM]

I love the past psychic. You truly say things that have happened; that yet you had no previous knowledge of.

[@Ultraw]

Legend has it, Maureen Wilcox celebrates Guy Fawkes night on the 11th of May

[@tamar4716]

Given that dates are written the opposite way in the U.S. from the UK (aka, U.S. is month-day-year while U.K. is day-month-year), that makes more sense than you realize.

[@Ultraw]

​@tamar4716 yeah I completely forgot that it's mainly a British thing hahah, couldn't think of any other dates for my joke 😂

[@leumas75]

It IS a great joke, but the way!

[@blindleader42]

3:49 remember something like that years ago. It was in some Asian country, maybe Indonesia. I'm 98% certain that every lottery in the US uses a mechanical randomizer, like a tub full of plastic balls, rather than a computer program, so it can't happen here.

[@sfitz219]

In the '80s, a group of people rigged the Pennsylvania lottery by replacing most of the balls with heavier ones, to ensure that the lighter, unmodified ones would be in the number that gets drawn, and they just had to buy tickets for a few different combinations of numbers

[@blindleader42]

@@sfitz219 That _almost_ worked, and it wasn't the main lottery but a smaller 3 ball draw. Suspicions were raised. People went to prison. Money not paid out.

[@henke37]

Nope, some lotteries do use a computer program. And yes, backdoors have been discovered. People went to jail for it.

[@blindleader42]

@@henke37 "some"? Name two.

[@rybock]

Generally good advice mentioned should you win the lottery. Also, as someone who may buy an occasional ticket... go with the random choice of numbers. If you play your birthday and your wife's birthday and your kid's to get the six numbers... if you don't play every drawing, and they hit one time you didn't buy a ticket, you know you missed out. Random numbers, you never know if you would have won and just missed a payday.

[@olivier2553]

State swap was my immediate thought, but double swap!

[@1AmGroot]

Upon hearing the question I instantly thought about the lottery ticket with the winning numbers being for a different state lottery, but I never even considered the possibility of getting the winning numbers swapped around like that

Without watching the rest of the episode - the wording seems suspiciously specific, so did she not buy the lottery in Massachussetts and she guessed the Massuchussetts numbers in a different state?

[@Elwaves2925]

The wording was what gave it away to me too. I didn't know the answer but that led me to working it out.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

My guess too. And I also guess that she actually normally plays the Massachussetts lottery, but this time was visiting someone and so decided to play "her" numbers at that state lottery. Edit: Ok, the real answer is so much funnier (well, except for her, obviously).

[@danielbaugh9816]

I'm half way through and am thinking that too.. it seems too easy though. That said, I get quite a lot of these right straight away

[@danielbaugh9816]

Or she thought she was in Massachusetts but wasn't

[@JonatasAdoM]

@danielbaugh9816 Congratulations then, you must probably think laterally.

[@HawkerMatty]

An old neighbor I had told me once that she used to get the same numbers all the time whenever she bought a ticket, she didn't buy tickets all the time but she had like a consistent schedule. There was one time she missed buying a ticket and all of her numbers came up. She was a bit disappointed to say the least.

[@charlieverity5405]

This was obvious due to the phrasing of the question (“state lottery…” and then later “Massachusetts”, instead of “Massachusetts state lottery”, so perhaps the reason the guests took to so long is that as KZbin viewers, we had the advantage of getting the question graphically in text in the screen as Tom was reading it out, so it was more “imprinted” with the viewers, and the guest didn’t get this. If the guests had the question typed out in front of them, they could perhaps notice the glaring phrasing issue quicker. Unless they're just a bit slow 😃

[@veggiet2009]

Ok most lateral questions are interesting, but this one is incredible!

[@pcfilho425]

I had never heard that story before, but the correct answer immediately came to my mind, by the phrasing of the question.

[@bramnet]

I know it's the stereotypical comment, but I had the first part of the question the moment the question was laid out. I was like "that's too carefully worded about what state the ticket was for."

[@FelineBlender]

I loved the unappreciated Einstein on the Beach shout-out❤ For those not in the know its an aggressively repetive composition by Philip Glass which features lots of repeated speach fragments including the numbers 1-5. Would it get some wind for the sailboat. And it could get for it is. It could get the railroad for these workers. And it could be were it is. It could Franky it could be Franky it could be very fresh and clean. It could be a balloon. All these are the days my friends and these are the days my friends.

[@joshconfer209]

It took a long time to get there, but they made it 😂. I love how this format makes everyone overthink things.

[@MiklaneTrane]

Additional spoilery context: . . . . . . . . . For those not familiar with US geography, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country (you can drive across it in less than 40 minutes). So it's not uncommon for people to live in Rhode Island and work in Massachusetts or Connecticut, or vise-versa. Her buying tickets for both states is probably something that many people do, or that she could do regularly.

[@antispeedrun]

Got the first half as soon as the question was asked, took me a good half of the video to guess the second half.

[@johnbennett1465]

Oh, another person who has bought one lottery ticket that won more than it cost. Then decided to quit while there were ahead. In my case it was a lottery that had rolled over so many times that the average expected payout per ticket was higher than the cost.

[@Poldovico]

I was about to ask who actually does the math on that, but then I figured the answer is "a Lateral fan, probably". And also remembered I thought about doing the math on the expected value of a lottery ticket just ten minutes ago.

[@blauw67]

I was wrong but my guess was that she chose something like: 23, 45, 61, 81, 93 and the winners where 32, 54, 16, 18, 39

[@RFC3514]

You might want to check your numbers. 😉

[@blauw67]

@@RFC3514 haha I see now!

[@griftgfx]

I remember Bawls, Sam! We had it out here along with Jolt Cola. The original nerd energy drinks.

[@natpaulsen8793]

Einstein on the Beach reference! That's a rarity.

[@MegaLokopo]

It is no surprise someone wins the lottery. It is a surprise when you win the lottery.

[@Rwededyet]

What's worse is that she was then somehow BITTEN by lightning while simultaneously being STRUCK by a shark!

[@neosmagus]

I'd heard this story before, so I knew what the question and answer was going to be just from the video title 😂 I don't know how I would have reacted if that happened to me...

[@quintuscrinis]

To the point at the end, getting the right numbers on the wrong lottery has to happen to someone most weeks, sure. But to get 2 tickets for different lotteries with exactly the right numbers for the other lottery on both tickets. That really must sting and be a phenomenally rare occurrence as to be surely the absolute worst luck possible.

[@williamnathanael412]

Isn't the title a bit of a spoiler for the second part of the answer?

[@timothymclean]

I wouldn't say it's a spoiler, but it's a clue the contestants didn't have.

[@michaels4340]

As soon as Tom brought up the fact that she'd bought two tickets, I realized what the title meant... although it was a bit weird to present the question without mentioning that she'd bought two tickets.

[@michaels4340]

(actually, looking back, I guess it was mentioned.)

[@EdwardMillen]

Somehow I got this (the first part) immediately just from the wording, having no idea how lotteries work in the US. Maybe that helped somehow? Also (from the second part) was she a time traveller who got mixed up?!

[@Stirdix]

The first part I got immediately, but the second part I thought it was that she had bought, e.g., the same numbers on tickets for every other state in the region (say, from ME to NY) except for MA or something like that

[@TarunoNafs]

Anyone know what's the interesting podcast Karen mentioned?

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

The story was on quite a few of these true crime podcasts or youtube videos.

[@ajnormandgroome]

Wait - chose numbers but didn't buy ticket? I haven't seen ending yet

[@stevenrburgoyne]

I had a lottery ticket where I missed every single number by exactly 1 in the same direction (the numbers were all 1 greater than what I had).

[@finkelmana]

"so many people were unimaginative". Wrong! They IMAGINED the right number!

[@PianoKwanMan]

I heard about a story where the numbers were on the wrong line. It has similar themes with this one

[@MrTandtrollet]

Immidiate guess was that is was the wrong ticket, i.e. a different state lottery.

[@Demasx]

I need to know how she handled it because I don't think I could (if I were the type to play the lotto) 🤔

[@miniking10000]

Not really related to this exact video, but as someone from Russia I can't really buy the book, from a few sites I've check there doesn't seem to be an ebook or any way to get it to Russia, did I miss something or I really can't get the book even in online version?

[@Poldovico]

I imagine it'll be an issue. Generally speaking, receiving payment from Russia has been non-trivial the last couple years.

[@ShockMicro]

My first instinct: They never specified what state lottery the tickets are from. She's from New York.

[@tapio_m6861]

@3:00 I hear you Tom, but those are still absolutely the correct numbers to pick because all the rest give you even less. The point of lottery isn't to pick the numbers that as few other people as possible also choose. It's to choose the same ones as the machine later spits out.

[@mikaeus468]

As long as the machine isn't rigged, and you aren't psychic, the best you can do is maximize your winnings when you do win

[@voidify3]

Well no. The lost fans are choosing the numbers from lost every day so when one of them wins they all win and the jackpot gets split. Whereas someone who chooses a unique set of numbers every day and one day those numbers happen to win, they get the whole jackpot. So the secondary objective IS to be unique, and since the primary objective is completely random and impossible to optimise the secondary objective becomes the only objective under your actual control

[@oliknight2223]

Calling it immediately after hearing the question, before I finish the video: She wasn't playing in Massachusetts, and didn't win in the state she was in. Extra disappointing because she just moved from Mass, or maybe she was a Mass resident on vacation. Edit: Holy CRAP that final answer is rough!

[@sorrynotsorry8224]

Immediate assumption based on the question is that she bought tickets for the wrong state.

[@michaels4340]

I feel like the obvious solution is that she's just moved from Massachusetts, so she normally played in the Massachusetts state lottery, but after moving states she played in a different state lottery... just when her numbers finally came up in Massachusetts.

[@michaels4340]

(or she was on vacation in another state at the time)

[@arikwolf3777]

I knew that states had their own lotteries back then. So I got the first part right, but not the second. I win every time by not playing and put the money I would of spend into an interest bearing account. (Lottery is a tax on people that can not do math.) My brother only will play if his office has a group pool, in case the idiot do win, he won't be left as the only one stuck. It is insurance for him, otherwise, he save his money also.

[@Njald]

Wonder how many people understood the Einstein on the Beach reference

[@ajnormandgroome]

Bought in CT by mistake

[@danielleoliver1734]

Different state, she wasn’t in Massachusetts as she bought the ticket in a different state on the way home or something? Maybe

[@random832]

I feel like there can't actually be enough people playing two state lotteries on the same day often enough for this to be a statistical inevitability the way you're suggesting. Like, someone getting it two days in a row, sure [like, yesterday's numbers today and today's yesterday]. Getting the mega millions and powerball swapped, or one of them with a state lottery, sure (but it's the same odds as someone winning both, and I don't think *that's* ever happened). But how many people are really playing two state lotteries simultaneously?

[@Poldovico]

Apparently based on another comment by @MiklaneTrane, for people who would play Rhode Island at all it's not that unlikely to also play a bordering state, on account of Rhode Island being very small and having a lot of people who live in it but work across its border.

[@random832]

maybe but that also means the number is smaller overall than other states, i'd have to see a calculation of what the odds *really* are. Like I said, it's basically the same odds as winning both (minus maybe the factor of some people not deciding to play the second one after winning the first).

[@Rollermonkey1]

She was in th NH state liquor store and boght a NH state lottery ticket, not MA. Probably a really high jackpot missed across a state line.

[@Rollermonkey1]

Hah! Called it! I mnan, the actual store doesn't matter, but tyhe wrong state part.

[@pincushionllama]

From then on, I'd buy 4 tickets, numbers on both

[@warceline5828]

I feel like Ryan Letourneau of Northernlion fame would be a good guest for this podcast

[@ecchikitty1395]

So equally likely is someone WON both? Has that actually happened?

[@psilorder86]

Guess at the start: She had bought tickets for another states lottery.

[@ripopol]

0:12 making my guess Well the obvious answer would be that she bought state lottery tickets, but not in Massachusets. Fun fact, in my country the national lotery doesnt have "choose your boxes", it uses your postcode. So there are a non-zero amount of cases where someone moves into a new house and then all their OLD neighbours win the lottery at the same time. Which is why my bet is that the dissapointment is that she had just moved from her home state of Massachusets, where she used to play with those same numbers every time.

[@andersoncpu]

Who else was screaming the answer at the screen the moment the question was asked?

[@loddude5706]

What lottery was HER ticket for? : )

[@aidanbrumsickle]

I'm guessing she was from Massachusetts but was visiting another state when she bought the tickets, so she picked the right numbers but for the wrong state

[@Slikx666]

That really really really sucks!

[@cybergeek11235]

Guess: . . . The draw happened the day before her 18th birthday

[@tom.parryjones]

I remember this story, so I'm ruling myself out from the start

[@smithandshortdogs]

Ditto...

[@SageArdor]

And here I was thinking she bought gag lottery tickets to give to friends as a joke or something, which just happened to have the right numbers.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

That kind of happened once in New York, where a cop promised a waitress half the winnings of a lottery ticket as a tip, because he had just enough money to pay for his food, but not enough to tip her. The lottery ticket hit the jackpot and he actually kept his word. It was later turned into a Hollywood movie (the movie also added a romance between the cop and the waitress, which never happened in real life).

[@SageArdor]

​@@MyRegardsToTheDodothat's similar to what I'm talking about, but I'm also aware that some people actually produce fake lottery tickets (which make it perfectly clear they aren't real for legal reasons) to give out as joke gifts.

[@whophd]

The first time you walk into a casino - if the cameras don’t recognise you - you’ll win. Don’t forget, it’s ALL casinos, so your second one won’t count - they all share images.

[@Poldovico]

That doesn't seem like something that could be so universal. If nothing else, in most regulated places this sort of system would be illegal, so if it were truly EVERYWHERE no amount of collusion could keep it hidden for long. Plus, I'd be very surprised if casinos in Vegas shared camera footage with casinos in Monaco or other parts of the world. Now, online casinos are a different beast, and even general videogames: if I recall right, either EA or Activision own patents on ways to adjust drop chances based on player behaviour. Anyone who has played Warframe knows your first daily login after a hiatus is almost always a 75% discount on premium currency, and as soon as you look into shadier options like crypto all bets are off (heh).

[@kjh23gk]

Christ, that thumbnail looks like something from MrBeast. Please don't go down that aesthetic route. 🙄

[@insu_na]

Dang, that was incredibly unlucky...

[@srhegarty]

Nauseating opinions on buying lottery tickets