EuroMillions take two
Our 27-person syndicate didn't win a penny on Friday night (surprise, surprise), however given the size of the prize fund I started speculating that it might be worth, hypothetically of course, buying every single ticket.

Most people thought this was a crazy idea, but now that the draw's happened I've done all the maths to see what would have happened:


Had I bought every ticket I would have spent -£114,413,040

I would have won:

5 balls + 2 lucky stars: 1 x £74,921,032.10 (as would the other jackpot winner)
5 balls + 1 lucky star: 14 x £407,095.63 = £5,699,338.78
5 balls: 21 x £77,855.24 = £1,634,960.14
4 balls + 2 lucky stars: 225 x£6,164.10 = £1,386,922.17
4 balls + 1 lucky star: 3,150 x £270.14 = £850,944.38
4 balls: 4,725 x £122.94 = £580,907.57
3 balls + 2 lucky stars: 9,900 x £93.96 = £930,167.26
3 balls + 1 lucky star: 138,600 x £30.68 = £4,252,207.16
2 balls + 2 lucky stars: 141,900 x £28.49 = £4,042,337.05
3 balls: 207,900 x £18.18 = £3,780,412.09
1 ball + 2 lucky stars: 744,975 x £12.29 = £9,155,057.10
2 balls + 1 lucky star: 1,986,600 x £9.83 = £19,527,321.77

Total winnings: £126,761,607.58

Profit: £12,348,567.58


Then again, it would have taken approximately 14.5 man years to manually buy every ticket, so the maths doesn't really tell the whole story.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:04, 16 replies)

I'm gonna have to take your word for it
On the numbers, as I'm a numero-tard.

But you get a click for "man years". Made me laugh.
( Cawl, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:17, closed)

Numbertard
good word, the prize pool would have gone up by you adding to it by quite some margin, unless they kept some back for the next one. So the figures must be out. But good plan.
(wobbler, Mon 11 May 2009, 13:29, closed)

No
The figures include the £57,206,520 I would have pumped into the Common Prize Fund had I bought all those extra tickets. That's why mega-lucky Spaniard and I would have won £75 million each not £55 million.

I can post my workings if anybody's that interested...
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 13:47, closed)

cheap labor
get 20 illegal immigrants at 50 grand each to take a 20th share of the ticket buying, in 11.3 months you have covered all the tickets, paid out 1 mil to those who need it most and plus 10 mil in the sky rocket.

Shees no wonder your country and banks are broke!
(bad_advice QOTW survivor from the first trollocost!, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:29, closed)

if you bought all the tickets
how did the other winner get his?
(Poezestrepe, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:44, closed)

"Every ticket" = every possible combination of five numbers 1-50 and two numbers 1-9
There isn't a fixed number of tickets available to buy.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:08, closed)

also
if you had £114million to blow on lottery tickets you wouldn't really need the extra £12mill :P
(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:51, closed)

There it is!

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:29, closed)

Ahhh... but
You could arrange a loan on the initial outlay, then treat the winnings - minus a usuary fee - as profit.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Mon 11 May 2009, 13:15, closed)

And keep your fingers crossed...
...that no more than one other person shares the jackpot with you.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 13:44, closed)

Which would more than likely happen
Seeing as when it's a super rollover or whatever, everyone buys tickets and there are 5 winners.

I say buy 100 tickets. If you don't win, it's the Lord's way of telling you you'd become a facist dictator and puppy beater if you did win.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Mon 11 May 2009, 14:40, closed)

*click for number geekiness*
But did you factor in the exchange rate difference?
(Jugular, Mon 11 May 2009, 14:32, closed)

No
I just used the values in pounds they published on the Prize breakdown web page.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 14:48, closed)

Also...
Spending another £100 million on tickets probably would have increased the prize fund. But then the increased wins on all fronts would have decreased the blah blah blah blah - anyway, probably wouldn;t have worked. Good thing you didn't do it.
(sabre-tooth monkey, Mon 11 May 2009, 17:50, closed)

Yes
By £57,206,520. Already included in my calcumacations.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Mon 11 May 2009, 21:00, closed)

Fine thought
I wonder whether a script to buy them on-line could be written.

Not sure I would trust my last £114M to this, but a fine idea.
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Tue 12 May 2009, 11:42, closed)