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How to win the lottery – EXPLAINED

  • Posted By Admin
  • on September 10,2009

179 Comments

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  1. The Zomeister
    11 September 2009

    To be perfectly honest, I don’t think that any of this has really been about ‘predicting’ the lottery numbers.
    The whole lottery thing is/was just there to get people talking about The Events and to make sure they watch tonight’s show.
    I think there’s something much bigger at play here. Derren will have done something HUGE, which nobody will have anticipated because the lottery prediction has made them extremely narrow minded and focused.

    Maybe…

    Zoe.
    xoxo

  2. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    Haha! I dunno if I can trust you hamsters… Ok then… It makes a difference.

  3. Chris L
    11 September 2009

    Could the snowflake purely just be a reference to next weeks show about being stuck to your sofa, as in being frozen. 🙂

    Camera trick, I don’t think so, that would take all of ten minutes to explain then what will he talk about for the remaining part of the show. 😉

  4. Adam
    11 September 2009

    Camera trickery isn’t usually Derren’s MO, so I’m really hoping it’s not. He did say we’ll be able to do it ourselves and not many people have that sort of kit, although it is readily available now.

    A few people have commented at how gullible we are, but that’s the point of his illusions and how they work !

    Can’t wait to see how it’s done. Normally it’s not the obvious thing……

  5. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @Mr Woolf – the psi (re fibonacci snowflake) came up on the ‘Have you seen this wizard poster’, but I’m prob just reading too much in again… of course…

    My dreams were FULL of numbers last night!!! Lots of 4s??? I woke up feeling hungover!

  6. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @The Zomeister – yeh I was gonna ask how it went for the folks who turned up at the projections. Anyone go from here?

  7. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    I’m off to Camden tonight to watch the fab BJ Cole play his steel pedal guitar and all I’m going to be thinking about is tonight’s show!!!

  8. Stuart
    11 September 2009

    Firstly I cannot believe that no one has even noticed or mentioned the whole perspective/distance thing going on with/between the ball stand and the TV stand. The ball stand is set way behind the the TV, just look out for the two enormous strides (one to the left and the other backwards) he has to take to get to the stand once has has turned the TV off, and also notice his height difference from when he was stood next to the TV (all be it in front of the set) and the height he his when he is stood behind the ball stand, he loses about half a foot in height. The whole ball stand looks completely odd to me in perspective anyway as it base is very oddly shaped and adding to this the whole camera angle is set at an angle to the wall behind.

    Also at the beginning when he walks into the studio and says ‘for security reasons’ and then goes onto tell us that its supposed to only be him and two camera guys you can clearly see someone in the right hand window (above the doorway he walked through) overlooking the whole thing. Add to that, that he clearly looks beyond the camera many a time especially when finding out whether it is time for the draw and at the end when he is told to rap up the show.

    Furthermore on reveal of the balls I have noticed that he has something up his left sleeve (our right) which looks rectangular in shape, very odd I find. I know that people are suggesting that when he is stood with his hand over his mouth when the numbers are being drawn that he is telling someone the result but surely he needn’t do that as the TV is probably load enough for them to hear (as the mics manage to pick it up fine) or if they are in another room they can watch it for themselves.

  9. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @Stuart – I did try to look at the perspective thing too, as I thought Richard Wiseman’s perspective piccie on his site might end up being a clue and I did wonder at Derren trudging round the stand to the balls instead of just taking the diagonal route to it at first. But I thought, nah, you’re reading too much into it AGAIN, woman.

  10. Gaz
    11 September 2009

    Derren walked behind the ball stand at the beginning, then in front of it before approaching the TV. Nuff said… Very impressive though.

  11. Mr Woolf
    11 September 2009

    @ JayKay
    Best to just breathe deep a good few times, relax and forget it all ever happened. Or better yet… think deeply about how it’s all been, what you’ve been through to get to this point and in all honesty, how bloody funny the whole thing truely is. I laugh, I need to sometimes, mainly at myself… you can’t take all things too seriously, some are just meant as fun.
    😉

    @ SomeUrl
    That coding was there previously and it hasn’t changed. It leads to a.wav file, someone who was quick enough on the pick-up of it was also kind enough to put it on his own site.
    http://www.domz.co.uk/view/Derren-Brown-The-Events-Forward-Splashcom-Borderwrennwav-6-10-25-32-47
    You may not understand it though… it’s crazy-talk to some. That said, you may find your own meaning to it
    😀
    😐

    Peace People! 😛

  12. woody
    11 September 2009

    Hmmmm Snowflake = Know False……..

  13. peachykeen
    11 September 2009

    I’m going to say what a looooooottt of people have already said- I hope Derren wouldn’t stoop to obvious camera trickery. I personally hope that he somehow did pre-record EVERY concievable combination…although I think someone has already said that would take longer than a year, and it’s kind of already been done with the coin toss. I just think that might fit with the snowflake- ‘every one is different’ thing. Who knows. Me and my friends are going to have a pyjama party tonight whilst watching the show. 🙂 Can’t wait.

  14. Graham
    11 September 2009

    When I saw the snowflake I too immediately thought of fractals, but probably not. Perhaps other ideas such as freeze frame are closer to the mark. However, for an accomplished magician like Derren it can be done by slight of hand. Clearly on the right of the screen Derren is flapping around as the numbers are drawn and this is classic misdirection for some requirement of the trick. It does not have to be a camera trick however. If you cut a ping pong ball in half you can place one half over another and at a distance you would not know. So imagine 49 halves of pingpong balls each with a number on from 1 to 49. Stacked together these could be palmed. Slight of hand would enable a magician to select the correct numbers and place them over the 6 arranged balls as he turned them. Easy.

  15. GG
    11 September 2009

    Split screen is the most obvious technique, especially as the camera-shake stops for a few seconds just at the point where you’d expect someone to be replacing the tray of balls… but is that itself another misdirection?
    It’s not too simple a technique for DB – maybe it’s contributing to some of the other stuff he has planned – and if it’s so simple how come no “genuine” magician’s done it?
    One thing he surely didn’t do is pre-record all the combinations. I know he spent all day trying to get x-many consecutive coin-flips once, but how many million takes would this involve? It’d be a feat of endurance more impressive than a successful prediction!

  16. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    Twitter: phillisdorrisDerren Brown has been found out!!! oh cripes. Now what? http://bit.ly/H3yrL #DerrenBrownLotteryPrediction

    I’ve read em all Phillis – it’s gotta be the robbery one! Am I right?

    @Mr Woolf – I’m off for some lunch with my other half ‘cos it’s our anniversary. I will try to put it all away in the back of my mind till after the haloumi! You have a nice wee rest too – before they come and take you away… hahaha!

  17. knobler
    11 September 2009

    cant belive i searched the internet to write here!!! this bloke darran is no more and no less a very clever user of camera tricks….the lottery outcome was merely a split screen…thats it….simple

  18. Sara
    11 September 2009

    It’s fun to discuss possible crazy outcomes of how Derren Brown could predict the National Lottery numbers – theories of insider help from Camelot and filming all possible outcomes! But the facts remains 334 matched 5 numbers last wednesday with a total of 1,410 pounds per prize winner. If Derren filmed all possible outcomes that would equate to 1 in 55,491.33333. That’s very expensive filming!!! And suggesting an insider, well that’s liable.

    I’m predicting the illusion will be simple – yet pretty intensive in practice and hard work. I also know you can not predict the forthcoming results of the National Lottery and the trick will be making us all believe Derren can! The most important fact of all – simply is: The suggestion is more important than the outcome! Contiued….1/2

  19. Dave Ellis
    11 September 2009

    So here we are, everyone is talking and there doesn’t really seem to be an answer. I don’t believe it’s camera trickery, that would be a huge anti climax.

    I can’t help but believe that the whole thing was engineered to make people speculate. The standing still, the very obvious positioning of the elements to suggest camera trickery etc etc.

    And to the people suggesting the public are gullible, you’re wrong – no-one believes he actually predicted the numbers or has a system to do so, we’re just intrigued as to how the illusion was created.

  20. Sara
    11 September 2009

    Continued 2/2…

    To attempt this idea is just simply genus! And I’m sure for legal reasons, Derren will have to show us how it was achieved for Camolot’s sake!

    The lottery numbers was watched by more than three million people, I’m sure Objective productions and Channel 4 are very proud! And remember next week is all about “How to control the Nation!” He already did by making millions of people buy lottery tickets – job done!

  21. scott
    11 September 2009

    freezing the shot seems possible,

    but he says hes going to tell us how he won the lottery and we can to,

    if he did freeze it, then it would just be showing us how to fake a prediction?.

    ..right

  22. SomeUrl
    11 September 2009

    @Mr Woolf

    The lines from the audio file are just a load of Ludwig Wittgenstein quotes. Apart from the big paragraph, which is from the Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches).

    I’m sure they have no relevance here in what Derren is doing. Montague Summers was a crazy man who believed in all sorts of stuff :p I’m sure it makes interesting reading though.

    Anyays, back on topic… I was all for the split screen solution – It’s probably the easiest way to do it, but I think this will upset a lot of people. All I know is I’ll be glued to the TV set tonight, deep in anticipation, for the first time in years 🙂

  23. cindy christian
    11 September 2009

    snowflake=it’s not fake?(sounds like it if you say it fast).Do you think the snowflake has anything to do with Prof.Ian Stewart’s book”What shape is a snowflake?”which is about magic numbers in nature?If so ,it maybe a maths.theory afterall.We’ll see tonight.Great fun though,guessing,isn’t it!!!

  24. Mr Woolf
    11 September 2009

    @ JayKay

    Hmm. I do recall the ‘Have you seen this wizard’ poster thing. Maybe it’s a blatant clue that D is in fact a real wizard!
    😉

    But all these people saying it was a trick with him concealing something in his jacket?

    So, does that mean D has something amazing hidden up his ‘Wizards sleeve’? Lol!
    P.S. it’s best you don’t type that phrase into any search engines…
    Who am I kidding, that’s the first thing you’ll go and do now!
    😀

    You people should be ashamed 😛

    Peace People! 😀

  25. Jess xxx
    11 September 2009

    I hope you’re proud of what you’ve started, Derren!

    In the meantime, I have stopped caring which explanation sounds right….I just want to know how he did it! And Derren, PLEASE don’t do what everybody seems to think you’re going to do; please give us the REAL explanation! I’ve suffered enough!

  26. AimzW
    11 September 2009

    Aggghhhhh!! I really wish I hadnt ready this….there are so many posiible explainations that could be true. If Derren reveals the trick tonight to be something Ive read on here I’ll be so disappointed….Im quite happy being sucked into the “magic”!! Serves me right for looking I guess! Any how, the mans a genius, he’s even got me posting on here. Hope everyone enjoys tonight show!! xxxxx

  27. peachykeen
    11 September 2009

    @Knobler- his name is Derren. Just a heads-up 🙂

  28. sam
    11 September 2009

    when i 1st saw the snowflake all i thot was geometrical pattern the snowflake pattern you can look it up i learnt about it in maths but is DB just really smart or is all just trickery lol

  29. James Thornily-Walker
    11 September 2009

    i am gay

  30. ashton
    11 September 2009

    snowflake is used as snowflakes are frozen, showing that one half of the screen was frozen while he “predicted” the lottery numbers
    DURRR

  31. Bletherskite
    11 September 2009

    I’m loving all this discussion over the t’internet, especially those who are complaining that it was all just a big con and it wasn’t a prediction at all it was just………FAKE!

    Duh! and your point is?

    The suggested answer that makes most sense to me is the split screen camera thing – which is exactly why I think it wasn’t that. It’s the most obvious conclusion to come to in this tv age and Derren generally seems to choose the non-obvious path.

    Can’t wait for tonight to see the explanation which will probably make perfect sense until 5 minutes after the end titles when we all go – “hang on – but that can’t be right!”. Mr Brown, I salute you and applaud your fiendish trickery.

  32. Kwildo
    11 September 2009

    watch this http://vimeo.com/6295737
    the answer is there 😉 just watch it over and over ….and listen every word

    hint: 4x whois + dns = one chanel

  33. Very
    11 September 2009

    The show was brilliant and cant wait for reveal. I expect it to be neat and would also expect nothing less from Mr Brown that he has seeded us all for a bigger surprise either tonight or as a result of watching the reveal (He is going to get a whopper of an audience tonight all thinking lottery and possibly missing the subliminals!)

    On how he did it, yes there are a number of technically possible “easy” ways to get the balls marked up with the right numbers.

    What I would like to know is what is the device on the back wall that is only seen briefly as the camera sways left. It has SIX red globes roughly speced about the same as the balls ???.

    Its all too easy we have all missed something much bigger I am sure.

  34. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @Mr Woolf – Aha ahahaha ahahahahahahahahahahaha! I have never heard that expression! Hahahahahaha! I had to google wizard’s sleeves! I am ashamed of my naivety – not like me – I’m usually the tone-lowerer at parties. Well, that’s a new one. And thank you.

    Still laughing…

  35. Susan
    11 September 2009

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Susan

  36. Very
    11 September 2009

    And whats with the banner at the top of the page……it dont make sense…..

  37. Annie
    11 September 2009

    To all associated with Wednesday’s brilliant show. Well done and fair play to Derren. He’s a genius! What a mind. Least he can relax a bit till next week I bet his head is fried. Mine was! It was the best thing I have seen all year! I did try to write this yesterday but I think I broke the computer again! Bloody thing! All the best for the next events but everything from Derren’s mind is nothing sort of insane and brilliant.
    Thanks so much. A credit to the human mind.
    Anyone know if he is coming to Ireland. We really need someone like him here!
    All the best.

  38. Will
    11 September 2009

    Does the bit at the end indicate that Derren stole Jon Snow’s missing bike,,,?

  39. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    Wehey! http://www.forward-slash.com is back. Norg has been exterminated.

    I have to say guys, I am baffled by your PR brilliance on all of this. All the twists and turns, red-herrings, blind-alleys and mindfux – and the odd Scoobysnack when folks get it right. I have a feeling the whole will exceed the sum of the parts even – and they have been entertaining enough.

    I’m hoping it’s the whole geometry thing and stuff gleaned from the ancient time-machine. I love stuff like that. We have forgotten what we knew. We stand and look in and we need to be on the inside looking out sometimes. Viewpoints are key. Our minds are often too set. Derren seems to have trained his mind to work in spirals, bend corners, see through walls etc. That brain must be some hunka muscle!

  40. Ben Griffiths
    11 September 2009

    http://thelifeofben.com/2009/09/11/how-derren-brown-predicted-the-lotto-numbers/

    Here is how he did it!

  41. kirsty
    11 September 2009

    he’s gonna do some christmas special i’m guessing?
    jesus he’s done enigma, that book he’s writing, the gathering and all these events. it’s just not human tbh : ) xx

  42. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    I think there will have been an audience at Riverside too. A quiet one, dragged from their beds the night before Trick or Treat-like and stuffed up the back of Studio 1. Well, called at 10 am that day and invited in. Proof that Derren wasn’t fiddling with his balls.

    Can’t believe I won’t be home when it’s on… grrr!

  43. Mr Woolf
    11 September 2009

    @SomeUrl

    🙂
    Thank you.
    Although I had already gathered the final quote was from “Malleus Maleficarum”, on DomZ site (under Woolfie) I did give it a mention.
    I didn’t know/hadn’t picked up on the rest being from Ludwig, so thanks 😀
    I agree about Montague, the persecution of ‘witches’ was indeed very stupid and not the good kind of crazy 😉

    Ludwig Wittgenstein: Obviously an extremely profound fellow.

    Peace People!

  44. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @Kwildo – just TELL us. We’re done in! We don’t need any more clues. I would add a smiley here, but I don’t know how to.

  45. flapjack
    11 September 2009

    I thought the snowflake might be a pun.. as in ” ‘s no fake!” meaning there wasn’t anything rigged.
    But that’s just the way my mind works. I would have thought CG tracking except I haven’t encountered any CG tracking device that can compensate for camera wobble in real time. This might be because as CG students go I’m a total luddite!

  46. Mr Woolf
    11 September 2009

    @ JayKay

    Firstly:
    Contratulations on your aniversary 🙂
    I hope you have a wonderful and restful evening with your partner.

    And yes, I do try to avoid anyone involved with taking away crazy people, I give them a wide berth for fear of being found.
    😉

    Secondly:
    You’ve very welcome 😀
    I may not get too much right in this world, but I do like making people laugh or cheering them up if possible. I’ve found, for me at least, It’s a good ethic to have.

    Again, enjoy your evening 😀

    Peace People!

  47. JayKay
    11 September 2009

    @Very – You need to have a wee read at the many previous comments. On this page, among these comments, you will find the answer to the banner at the top.

  48. Stuart
    11 September 2009

    @Kwildo

    The Whois DNS hint, is that realting to Vimeo or this site ?

  49. Mr Woolf
    11 September 2009

    @ JayKay

    Sorry, I keep finding new posts from you, lol, it’s like they appear after I’ve just posted or something… I’m sure I’m just so eager to reply to previous I zip past the latter.
    😉

    Smilies:
    Hint, open a notepad (.txt) highlight and copy the chosen emoticon you’d like to do (actually copy not copy image etc. then paste into the notepad. Tadaa there you have it
    💡 😎 😮 🙂 😀 😛

    Your comment about the whole exceeding the sum of it’s parts… I used to say something quite similar myself. Intriguing.

    Peace people! 😀

  50. Christian
    11 September 2009

    Darren Brown wouldn’t do anything as crass as split screen or camera effects, the Chuckle Brothers could do that. He said this had taken the best part of a year to pull off, that’s the clue! my guess is that he looked at the odds 14 million to one and knew he couldn’t pull that off but what if he could get 5 numbers right? We all be happy with that and the odds are much lower 55, 000 to one and what if he took a gamble on one of the numbers that comes up more often than the rest, 11 say? Put that in the mix and he just had to get 4 right. The odds drop down to a number in the tens of thousands to one.

    Then and this is what makes him special, he records 20 thousand versions of the winning numbers. There is a cut in the picture when he moves from the screen to the lectern.

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