The Events (How to Win the Lottery) by Derren Brown

The first live event, aired on September 9, 2009, showcased Derren Brown seemingly predicting the lottery numbers. This was demonstrated with a lineup of white balls positioned against a wall, alongside a television displaying a live feed from BBC One. After the draw, Brown revealed the results written on a card, turning the balls to show that both the card and the balls matched. The winning numbers were 2, 11, 23, 28, 35, and 39, with a bonus number of 15, which was not included in his predictions.

A second show aired on September 11 at 21:00, exploring three potential methods for winning the lottery. The first, faking a winning ticket, was quickly dismissed. The majority of the program focused on Brown’s use of automatic writing and crowd psychology to create the illusion of predicting the numbers. Through various experiments, he suggested that he might have utilized the “Wisdom of Crowds” phenomenon. Brown introduced 24 volunteers who, after several sessions, appeared to predict the correct numbers by analyzing a board filled with previous lottery results and using automatic writing. The show concluded with a brief discussion on how the lottery results could have been manipulated, with Brown emphasizing that such actions would be illegal and asserting that the stunt was merely a trick.

The “Wisdom of Crowds” explanation faced significant backlash from the media and academics, with one journalist in The Times describing Brown’s transformation from an intriguing figure to an irritating one. Publicist Max Clifford noted that the stunt likely increased Brown’s market value. Philosopher A.C. Grayling commented that the hour-long explanation was itself a trick, lacking the brilliance of the original lottery illusion. Camelot, the organization behind the National Lottery, congratulated Brown on his “illusion” while reminding the public that influencing the draw’s outcome is impossible. This trick garnered widespread attention, leading to various alternative theories, including the use of a split-screen camera trick or a false wall. A poll by The Guardian suggested that a split-screen was the most plausible explanation.

During the filming of “How to Win The Lottery,” the audience witnessed a scene that was ultimately cut from the broadcast. It featured an open-topped bus under Christmas lights in Oxford Street, where school children appeared to draw the lottery numbers from a black sack. This footage was recorded months prior to the lottery draw, as the lights were not yet installed at the time of airing. The reason for its removal remains unclear; Channel 4 cited “time constraints.” In “Derren Brown: Behind the Mischief,” Brown expressed disappointment over this stunt, as the explanation of how he manipulated the draw was intended to serve as a twist but ended up seeming absurd due to the scrutiny the show received.