With lottery mania sweeping the nation, it’s natural to be curious about people who have won in the past. Interestingly, there have been more than a handful who have hit the jackpot multiple times, for hefty amounts.

Richard Lustig hit more than a lucky streak with seven wins under his belt. Seven. He’s been so successful at playing lotto games that he wrote a 40-page book about his strategies, Learn How to Increase Your Chances of Winning the Lottery.

At the time of this writing, one person just won the Mega Millions billion-dollar jackpot, while the Powerball pot is at $750 million. Many people out here have dollar signs in their eyes, wishing and hoping to choose the magic numbers so they can pull a “I’m rich ___!” and quit their jobs.

There’s nothing wrong with that. So, does Lustig have a formula and if so, what is it? Based on this interview with WGN, we’re not sure, but he does have three basic points to offer players.

First, you may be wondering about his credibility and exactly how much he’s won over the years. Has he won large sums? According to Forbes, here’s a breakdown of his wins for the state of Florida (we are unsure if this is before or after taxes):

1. $10,000
2. $13,696.03
3. $2,000 in cash and another $1,500 in merchandise
4. $4,996
5. $842,152.91
6. $73,660.06
7. $98,992.92

We are going to marinate on one of the steps given by Lustig to increase your odds of winning. He says to avoid the “quick pick”. That is when the computer chooses the numbers for you, spitting them out on your ticket. Lustig states that this lowers your odds and it is better to pick your own digits.

To add to that, he advises people to spread out their numbers, choosing a group that you feel will be a good combination. Since so many like to use birth dates, it can work against you when the odds of someone else using those dates are high.

For games that involve ball-drawing and giant multi-state jackpots, your (ahem, our) odds of winning are in the hundreds of millions. Even if you pray, knock six times on the ceiling and spin around, check your dream book, or read your cat’s litter box for the numbers, you still have a better chance of being struck by lightning.

Economic experts point out that since these games are essentially random games of chance, saving your money is always a safe bet. However, you may find inspiration through Richard Lustig’s good run and decide that spending a couple of bucks is worth it.

Keep watching this entire interview to hear more from this repeat lottery winner and what he thinks will tip the odds in your favor. He’s not the only one of his kind, so if you’re into learning tips and strategies, you can dig into other winners and their “secrets”.

If you have never played but want to try, check out your state’s lottery board website to learn the rules of instant games (scratch-offs), state draw games, and multi-state draw games.

What’s your opinion on this lotto winner’s advice? Are you caught up in lottery fever? Do you know anyone who has won multiple times?

Source:

Forbes