Skip to main content

How to Launder Money

This is a great article on "everyday" statistics.  You have to read through nearly to the end to get to the "math" around money laundering: $0.53 on the $1.00 is the basic return ratio, according to this article, which is not too bad a return, all things considered.  More interesting are the statistical anomalies around multiple winners.  I always try to think of the low tech angle, and it strikes me that there may be a simpler way to increase your return:  simply buy known winning tickets (ones that are already scratched) from people at a premium that is better than the $0.53.   Seems too obvious....but I wonder if the FBI has checked Craigslist for ads offering to "buy winning lottery tickets at more than face value".

http://www.lotterypost.com/news/227079/1940460

I have to do some searching for why this "single instance" algorithm works; it is not immediately obvious.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Timed math tests

You have 3.2 seconds to figure out the problem below. Alan knows 90% of the concepts behind the math test, and can do those 90% very quickly.  He always gets 90% on timed math tests. Bob knows 100% of the concepts, but is a slow worker.  In the timed math test, he gets 75%, but, if given an extra 10 minutes, would get 100%. Alan graduates with an A; Bob with a C. You are building a bridge. Who would you hire? Seems like everyone from Gates to Zuckerberg has problems with how education is carried out today.  I wish I had some of their clout and could help to change the system.
Post a Comment
Read more

FTC should look at the Republicrats

It strikes me that the Republicrats (the Democrats and the Republicans) form an unfair monopoly.  While antitrust law is typically associated with corporations, it could, conceivably also be applied to government (the FTC is an independent government body). Triggering the antitrust laws typically means that you have a monopoly (hard to argue against that for the Republicrats) and that you abuse that position.  It has become abundantly clear over the last year that both parties are abusing their positions by focusing all of their energies on "win at any cost" as opposed to "do something for the country."  This is also why they can be considered a single entity (for the purposes of a monopoly)...they are not really two parties; just one inward facing machine. Unfortunately, it appears that there will not be any real third party, yet again, in the next election....so there is no motivation for either party to change their behavior.   It also appears that you ...
Post a Comment
Read more