The amazing true tale of Jerry & Marge Go Large is based on actual events that took place in The Great Lakes State. We’ve all heard about the MIT team from Massachusetts taking advantage of mathematics to outsmart the Blackjack tables and win the big lottery in America.

Well, the Jerry & Marge story isn’t too dissimilar, except in this case there isn’t an eye in the sky or pit bosses looking over the mathematical geniuses. They were able to outsmart the system in stealth mode, at least for a while, to earn enough money from the Winfall lottery game to rebuild their hometown of Evart.

21 Vs. Jerry & Marge – Two very different objectives to beating the system

The film 21 depicts the story of the Blackjack MIT team and Jerry & Marge Go Large the story of a retired couple who beat the lottery. 

Aside from the mathematical factor used to outsmart two different gambling systems, the two films do not have much more than this in common. Quite obviously the lottery and Blackjack are two very different games, but that’s not the key area that separates these two true stories.

21 and the MIT team’s success centers around greed and partying from the proceeds of their lucrative blackjack scheme. Conversely, Jerry & Marge Go Large focuses on an elderly retired couple that beat the American lottery to share their wealth with their town.

How did they do it?

This Michigan couple figured out a loophole in their state lotto game, and they banked thousands in winnings, then used that money to totally revive their small town. Talk about inspiration!

So Jerry Selbee—he was an Air Force numbers whiz—he realizes that on weeks when the jackpot tops $5 mil, he can use his mathematical prowess to beat the odds if he buys tons of tickets. Crazy, right? 

When he realizes the goldmine he’s stumbled across, he also gets his wife Marge in on the action to help organize things. The next thing they know, over $26+ million comes pouring in.

How America’s Winfall Lottery Worked

The Winfall lottery game is actually no longer available and in 2011 the lottery closed its doors. It wasn’t like most other lotteries you might be familiar with. Usually, when the big jackpot isn’t awarded, it just keeps growing. But Winfall did things differently – they had a cap on how big the grand prize could get.

When it hit the max jackpot value, and no one matched all 6 numbers, instead of rolling the extra money over to inflate the jackpot, the Winfall Lottery rolled it down into the smaller prizes. A system no other lottery in USA had thought of, albeit it was this system that eventually became the failure of this famous American lottery system.

For you as a player, during a roll-down draw, if no one took home the jackpot, people matching 5 numbers, or even just 4 or 3 numbers, would win way more than normal. The roll-down put all that extra cash into the lower prize levels.

As you can probably imagine, this unusual system got a lot of attention. Your odds of winning a sweet sum of cash were always at their best on roll-down prize weeks. 

Enter the savvy retirees Jerry and Marge Selbee who improved their chances by buying a huge numbers of tickets only when the roll-downs happened. Over time, they used the unique rules of Winfall to turn nice profits, which is exactly why their story shows how some creative thinkers capitalized on the one-of-a-kind quirks of this lottery.

The Attraction to Jerry and Marge? 

Well, there are several different groups of people this story attracts. We can’t really say that there is a one size fits all. Those that enjoy inspirational stories of those who help others with their good fortune. Also, for gamblers who live to see people beating the odds.

The main attraction for most is the heartwarming fact that the couple didn’t blow their stacks on fast cars and snazzy clothes. Nope! These good folks channeled the cash back into their little town of Evart. We’re talking about complete makeovers of run-down buildings, a revamped community theater, college scholarships—the works! 

Before the town was well-known for its 19th and early 20th centuries lumber industry, but over time that faded. It was Jerry and Marge’s generosity and civic pride that put the small Michigan town located in Osceola County of Evart back on the map. 

Today the town attracts tourists and hobbyists to its Muskegon River where people kayak and fish. The river is additionally a popular fishing destination. It is also a popular destination for music festivals.

What is in it for you?

In Jerry and Marge’s rags-to-riches ride, you’ll uncover some gems about going after your dreams and finding purpose at any age. The way they thought outside the box challenges what lots of us think about retirement years. And how selflessly they lifted up their whole community—that kind of giving spirit is something we can emulate.

If this is a story you think you and your family would watch or you’d like to sit down with your other half, then take a look at the Jerry & Marge Go Large trailer on the Universal Pictures YouTube channel.

Bottom line, the tale of Jerry & Marge Go Large spotlights classic American generosity and small-town bonds. It reminds us of the power of community, keeping an open mind, and lending a hand to others when you can. Pretty inspiring stuff!