A plan that divided the nation
08:09, 22 Aug 2026Updated 08:09, 22 Aug 2026
Beat the Lotto, documentary
Back in the 90s, a Cork-based mathematician decided he wanted to try to beat the National Lottery – and recruited a syndicate of chancers who wanted to help him out.
Polish-Irish accountant Stefan Klincewicz and his team of chancers came together to try to purchase every single possible ticket combination with the hope of claiming the jackpot. But soon the plan became public knowledge – and Lottery bosses had to take action to stop them.
The documentary Beat The Lotto tells the story of the attempt to fix the National Lottery, and the race against time to stop it from succeeding.
Ray Bates, the National Lottery’s former director
In the backdrop of downtrodden 1980s Ireland, the National Lottery was introduced in Ireland. While some people dreamt of winning big, Stefan made it his mission to. He had a passion for analytics and probability, and soon spotted an opportunity in the system. But his big plan divided the nation, leaving the National Lottery to do all it could to stop it from coming to fruition.
Director Ross Whitaker said: “What I love about this story is that it illuminates a pivotal time in Ireland in a very entertaining and fascinating way. It’s a heist film, a caper, a thriller that builds to a very specific climax. Do they win the jackpot or not? But it’s also about elements of the Irish psyche and how we feel and felt about institutions and taking on the system.”
The documentary will air on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Monday 24 August, 2026 at 9:35pm.