This doesn't make sense if the group buying the shit ton of tickets is making money. Overall more money goes out than comes in. If someone puts $600k and get $660k out, you can't make that up in volume.
If the lottery is still making money, it must come from other people who aren't winning but still playing.
I'm not sure exactly how this lottery works, but I think in other games there is no pile of cash sitting around. Instead the owner of the game insures it so that an intermediary (insurance company) pays the winner. If that's the case here the lottery commission will end up paying higher insurance premiums over the long term, but might show a short term profit.
But if you take into account all of the sources of money, there's no way the lottery commission could come out ahead on this.
More tickets sold still means more income for the lottery.
That jackpot was going to be paid to someone, this group merely became that someone.
Basically, they chose the best time to buy in so that they had a higher chance of winning.
Moreover, when the jackpot grows high, more people play. It's almost certain that their ticket buying inspired other people to buy more tickets as well.
If the lottery is still making money, it must come from other people who aren't winning but still playing.
I'm not sure exactly how this lottery works, but I think in other games there is no pile of cash sitting around. Instead the owner of the game insures it so that an intermediary (insurance company) pays the winner. If that's the case here the lottery commission will end up paying higher insurance premiums over the long term, but might show a short term profit.
But if you take into account all of the sources of money, there's no way the lottery commission could come out ahead on this.