A Swiss Lottery, Loterie Romande, has temporarily suspended its “Joker” game in the western region of Switzerland due to an unusual strategy employed by a group of players attempting to win the jackpot.
The “Joker” game works by randomly drawing a six-digit number, with each digit ranging from 0 to 9, resulting in a total of one million possible combinations. Players can win with as few as two correct end digits, but the jackpot is only awarded to those who correctly predict all six digits.
Reports indicate that some players attempted to cover all bases by purchasing a large number of combinations, with one vendor mentioning 15,000 Swiss francs and another up to 80,000 francs (74,400 euros) within two days.
A tobacconist told the 24 Heures newspaper, “They came with bags of cash and claimed they had the means to play all the combinations. They seemed like mathematicians.”
To fully cover all possible combinations, theoretically, two million francs would be required, an investment that could be justified given the current jackpot of 2.6 million francs.
The unusual betting activity did not go unnoticed by Loterie Romande. “If we detect unusual activities, we are obligated to inform the relevant authorities” said Jean-Luc Moner-Banet, the company’s general director. As a result, the game was suspended, and an investigation was launched.
Despite these measures, the regular drawing is still scheduled to take place on the following Wednesday, with the jackpot increasing with each additional bet.