Joan R. Ginther

Joan R. Ginther was an American lottery winner. On four occasions between 1993 and 2010, she collected winnings in excess of US$2 million in state lotteries, to a grand total of US$20.4 million.

Early Life

Born in Bishop, Texas,[1] Ginther had an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin[2] and a PhD in mathematics and education from Stanford University.[3][4][5]

Description

Joan Ginther was an American four-time lottery winner. She first won the lottery in 1993, when she won $5.4 million in Lotto Texas (equivalent to about $12M in 2025). Her next win came in 2006 when she won $2 million in the Holiday Millionaire scratch-off. Her third win happened in 2008, when she won $3 million from a Millions and Millions ticket. In 2010, she won $10 million, her largest prize, bringing her total winnings to $20.4 million.[6] According to mathematicians asked by the Associated Press, the odds of winning this many times were one in 18 times 10 to the power 24,[7] but this was apparently a miscalculation.[8] All of her winning tickets were purchased in Texas, and two of them were bought from the same convenience store in Bishop, Texas.[9] Prior to her death, she lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, and preferred to keep a low profile.[10]

Ginther died on April 12, 2024.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Nathaniel Rich (Aug 2011). "The Luckiest Woman on Earth". Harper's.
  2. ^ Nathaniel Rich (Aug 2011). "The Luckiest Woman on Earth". Harper's.
  3. ^ Nathaniel Rich (Aug 2011). "The Luckiest Woman on Earth". Harper's.
  4. ^ Peter Mucha (July 2, 2014). "How lottery legend Joan Ginther likely used odds, Uncle Sam to win millions".
  5. ^ Bill Murphy Jr. (March 2, 2018). "Here's the Story of the Stanford PhD Who Allegedly Gamed the Texas Lottery (and Won $20 Million)".
  6. ^ "Texas Woman Wins Lottery for Fourth Time". ABC News. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  7. ^ Nathaniel Rich (Aug 2011). "The Luckiest Woman on Earth". Harper's.
  8. ^ If, for example, she bought 4000 lottery tickets over the years and had a chance of winning of one in ten million each time, then the probability of her winning four times would be Other scenarios might give a higher probability.
  9. ^ "Texan may be world's luckiest lottery winner". NBC News. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Three-time winner hits lotto jackpot again". mysanantonio.com. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Obituary".
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