British mathematicians, Dr. David Stewart and Dr. David Cushing from the University of Manchester, have claimed to have discovered a strategy to guarantee a lottery win in the UK National Lottery using only 27 purchased tickets out of over 45 million possibilities. Although their method doesn’t ensure a jackpot win, it aims to secure at least a minor prize or a free play.
“In the UK National Lottery, players purchase tickets comprising their choices of six different numbers between 1 and 59. During the draw, six balls are randomly selected without replacement from a set numbered from 1 to 59,” explained the researchers.
They identified 27 specific tickets that, according to their calculations, guarantee a prize, regardless of which of the 45,057,474 possible draws occurs. The mathematicians determined that 27 is the optimal number of tickets required for this guarantee, as achieving the same level of assurance with 26 tickets is not possible.
Using a mathematical approach known as finite geometry, the researchers arranged the numbers one to 59 in pairs or triplets on various geometric shapes. Each set of numbers was then linked with lines, creating a sequence of six numbers corresponding to one lottery ticket. Their findings suggest that 27 tickets cover all 59 numbers, ensuring at least one pair will match and secure a win.
