Four-Time Lottery Legend Who Defied the Odds and Lived Quietly
"The odds are so small they defy belief. Imagine every grain of sand on Earth - then multiply that number by 18." That's how likely it is to win the lottery four times. Yet that's exactly what Joan Ginther did over the course of her extraordinary life. The former Stanford PhD and stats professor - who had an exceptional understanding of numbers and probability - hit the jackpot not once, but four times from 1993 to 2010 - collecting a staggering $20.4 million in winnings. Her remarkable streak baffled experts, though a top statistician told the Daily Mail he believes he may have figured her secret.
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Four-Win Jackpot Timeline From 1993 to 2010 Total 20.4 Million
Her most recent jackpot in 2010, when she was 63 years old. Her largest prize at $10 million on a $50 scratch-off lottery ticket. Before that, she claimed $3 million from a Millions and Millions ticket in 2008, $2 million in the Holiday Millionaire scratch-off in 2006, and her first $5.4 million in 1993 in a lottery draw. Two of the tickets were purchased at the same gas station in her hometown where she grew up with her doctor father. Ginther - who went on to teach college math in California - never disclosed prior to her April 2024 death if she figured out a way to beat the game. However, she had never been suspected of cheating or doing anything illegal, the Texas Lottery Commission told NBC News back in 2010. Spokesman Bobby Heith confirmed her winnings has been verified through a 'thorough system.'
From Stanford Professor to Texas Philanthropist
Ginther went on to teach college math in California, yet she lived a private life. Ginther never married and had no children, but she was known for her generosity and, as friends say, using her wealth to bless everyone around her. The following quotes illustrate the warmth she offered to friends and family. 'She bought tons of those and she gave them to everyone, too,' longtime pal Fran Wooley said. 'I knew she had been playing the same numbers for years and years and years the first time she won. Then she wasn't even in the country the first time she won.' 'I know she had her father's house and she gave that to a man who helped take care of the yard and the house when her father was still living. 'After he passed, she gave him the home,' Wooley shared. 'She put many kids through college.' 'She was good to everybody. If she knew someone has in distress financially, she would try to help,' Wooley added. 'She was very generous in my life. She helped us buy our first house. She had put a savings bond in my name before I ever decided to move. 'So when we decided to move, I had asked her if it was okay to take it out. And she said, "Yes, that's why I put it there."'
A Hidden Life After the Wins and a Las Vegas Move
The cat lover moved to Las Vegas in 2001, according to public records, before returning to the Lone Star State. She moved into a high rise building in San Antonio near the Riverwalk in 2014. On April 13, 2024, she died of natural causes from possible cardio vascular disease, her autopsy report obtained by Daily Mail states. 'Sweetest and funniest lady in our building!! You will be missed, my dear,' wrote neighbor Judy Lenard on Ginther's funeral page.
Friend Fran Wooley and a Life of Generosity
Ginther also offered to buy Wooley a car, but the former hair stylist turned her down. Wooley says she never married or had kids, but she had fallen in love with a trucker during her time living in California when she was a professor. In 2011, Wooley's home burned down in a fire, and she noticed deposits in her checking account from her rich friend. 'She was good to everybody. If she knew someone has in distress financially, she would try to help,' Wooley added. 'She was very generous in my life. She helped us buy our first house. She had put a savings bond in my name before I ever decided to move. 'So when we decided to move, I had asked her if it was okay to take it out. And she said, "Yes, that's why I put it there."' With a wardrobe consisting mostly of t-shirts and sweatpants, she did not live a life of luxury, as far as most people could tell. In fact, her trips to Spain, where she spent months every year, were some of the few signs of wealth.
Death, Probate and What Remains of the Fortune
Shortly after her death, her fortune has been caught up in a probate case in San Antonio that remains open to this day. It's unclear how much of her winnings are left, or if she was able to grow the money by making investments, as Wooley knew Ginther to have a financial advisor. Ginther passed away peacefully at age 77 on April 12, 2024, from heart disease, the Mail can reveal. On April 13, 2024, her autopsy report states she died of natural causes from possible cardio vascular disease. 'Sweetest and funniest lady in our building!! You will be missed, my dear,' wrote neighbor Judy Lenard on Ginther's funeral page.
