Tenn. players picked up on new odds before lottery revealed glitch

Comment #28

Captain Lotto — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:43:28 GMT

OK. I get your point. But again, there's at least 13 states with all computer drawings, and several more that are real close. Hot Lotto is computerized, and if Powerball went that way... but enough about that.

If we're comparing apples to apples, is it fair to compare this quarter to last quarter? Is that just revenues in the state games, or all sales? Couldn't the size of the Powerball jackpot have something to do with that?

Surely they took a hit after the snafu, so I would ass... [ More ]

Comment #27

Todd — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:32:35 GMT

Just about all of them do, but there's a big difference between using a computer for a raffle or Keno and using it every day to draw the lotto numbers.

(The report card shows that a majority of states have NOT computerized their daily lotto games.)

Computers have made it very simple to draw raffles and to draw games every 5 minutes without fail. Computers have important uses at a state lottery.

My entire career is based on computers. If there is a person here who supports the use of c... [ More ]

Comment #26

Captain Lotto — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 18:21:18 GMT

Maybe I misspoke. But by your own Report Card , more than half of the U.S. State Lotteries have some kind of computerized drawing.

Comment #25

Todd — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:53:42 GMT

You said, That's why states are switching to computers.

Really?

There was Wisconsin in 2004, and Tennessee in 2007. And then who else? States?

What I see is one state (Wisconsin) that made a decision before Lottery Post started enlightening people about the awful computerized drawings, and then another state three years later with a CEO who feels every decision she makes is beyond questioning, who made a terrible decision and forever tarnished her reputation.

What I don't see... [ More ]

Comment #24

time*treat — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:33:35 GMT

There's no problem. There are only people causing problems by saying there's a problem ... they are just being unpatriotic There's never been a problem ... except for those complainers. We should also mention they love the taliban and they hate kittens. We already fixed the problem ... that there never ... was ... yeah.

Comment #23

Captain Lotto — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:01:00 GMT

By all means, live productions are more costly. In today's world of cut costs and increase the bottom line, that's what computer draws are all about. It's much more cost effective to operate. No big production facility, cut the crew by 80%, you can even save on the announcing fees. And then there's the cost of maintaining the equipment.

That's why states are switching to computer draws. It costs less initially and long term in equipment and personnel. Auditing and oversight is the one... [ More ]

Comment #22

computerhead723 — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:55:06 GMT

I was thinking they they also need a production crew for live draws a small crew to pull the balls and Anouncers .......the verification is to have some one watch each draw also , with the computer drawig she would not have to do much verifiction, and since most lottery workers cant play that state lottery she could care less if we win or loose

Comment #21

Captain Lotto — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:45:20 GMT

Now that's a little harsh. Of course it's for the children. What would you expect her to say?

As far as a contract, it all depends on how they structured it; purchase or lease. Most likely they bought the equipment, like they have always done in the past with ball equipment. That means they can choose to do what they want. Ball machines are more expensive to maintain, and to go back would mean re-certifying all the equipment. It would take a little time... if they even still have it a... [ More ]

Comment #20

Todd — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:55:46 GMT

I assume there is some kind of maintenance agreement that they bought, but I would also assume they would not sign something saying they agree not to switch back to balls, or even switch back before the maintenance agreement expires. (Business software is often sold with maintenance agreements.)

So I really don't think there is anything excluding them from switching back.

I think it is a matter that the CEO Hargrove has decided to switch to computers, and switching back to balls would mak... [ More ]

Comment #19

computerhead723 — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 05:28:07 GMT

Todd is TENNS. lottery locked into a contrac to use only the computer and for so many years .....they act like its so hard to go back to BALL DRAWINGS

Comment #18

KyMystikal — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:28:04 GMT

10/26 in tn payout was 234,000

Comment #17

KyMystikal — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:26:38 GMT

There must not be very many lottery players in TN considering according to the 2004 census TN was 16th in population. TN payouts on trips this year have been as follows

1/1 - 333 - 396,750

2/5 - 444 - 472,750

5/14 - 444 - 286,500

6/9 - 222 - 309,500

10/26 - 000 - 234,00

While in Ky which was ranked 26th their payouts were for the last few trips.

10/16 - 111 - 990,270

9/17 - 333 - 1.3 mil

9/4 - 444 - 960,300

8/21 - 555 - 481,710

8/13

Comment #16

tntea — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:22:30 GMT

Be heard... Email the www.tnlottery.com and let them know your concerns...

BE HEARD

Comment #15

LckyLary — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 03:19:46 GMT

The Pick 4 was a better deal there, close to breakeven so an algorithm that simply tracked frequent digits period could have pushed it up enough to make long-term profit (theoretically speaking). Here's food for thought: at what payout ratio (if any) would you be willing to accept computerized drawings? I think at 80-90% I might but no way at 50

Comment #14

Todd — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:42:43 GMT

Konane you said it! I am so sick of know-it-alls who constantly categorize people, especially daily players. She has gotten too big for her britches, methinks.

Comment #13

konane — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 01:52:37 GMT

four4me said As an experienced lottery director she should have taken the peoples point of view into consideration before switching drawing types. If anyone should be looking at anything they should be looking into why she did what she did. And review there charter processes to see if she broke any of the rules regarding changing lottery drawings.

In Georgia she proved over and over she never cared what players wanted so long as they did what ads told them and kept buying tickets. All w... [ More ]

Comment #12

computerhead723 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:55:26 GMT

yes balls can be manipulated but were talking computers here and a manmade program ...software......

I dont trust lotterys to give out money ...I belive they do a lot of collecting and cashing in on peoples wishes ...and putng the cash-money in their pockets ;

I just read that mutual funds are gonna go bust before 2009 and people already are loosing their homes because they betted to lease their morgage now the lenders

Comment #11

JAP69 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:37:19 GMT

I noticed on some of the recent payouts on numbers that seem out of the extreme to me.

Some of these numbers in my opinion with higher payouts would not seem to be a highly played number normaly.

CASH 3 10/27/2007 Mid-Day 913 $27,830.00

CASH 3 10/27/2007 Evening 401 $42,060.00

CASH 3 10/26/2007 Mid-Day 601 $20,560.00

CASH 3 10/26/2007 Evening 000 $234,000.00 generally a highly played number

CASH 3 10/25/2007 Mid-Day 852 $31,250.00

CASH 3 10/25/2007 Evening 012 $57,840.00

C... [ More ]

Comment #10

JADELottery — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:39:46 GMT

I'll just post this and let you decide.

From the graph provided, I estimated the point shown on the graph in green. It shows the point I have brought up in a Blog I made back in August.

From my Blog from 2007 Aug 29:

Boy I tell ya, there are some people who think everyone is stupid and will believe anything you say without question. Like these statements from Lottery Post News, Official wants fraud probe of Tennessee Lottery: Hargrove said she did not believe fraud was involved. S... [ More ]

Comment #9

Todd — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:26:39 GMT

Jim,

Senator Kyle is a state Senator, so he can only affect change to the state of Tennessee. It would be nice though...

Comment #8

jim695 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:55:13 GMT

You're right, lottoscorp; they're doing some major damage control. I'm afraid most of it is geared toward the fraud issue, though. If fraud is discovered to be the cause behind the glitch in the Tennessee Lottery, the resulting reverberations would cast suspicion on all remaining RNG states, and the players in those states would begin demanding investigations of their own lotteries when their tickets missed by one digit.

Whether or not they're run in an honest and forthright manner, stat... [ More ]

Comment #7

four4me — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:15:44 GMT

lottoscorp wrote: Also, what are the changes that have been made that would be noticeable in the future as, it has more than been proven that you can attach electronic-magnectic stickers encoded, on the balls?

when and where was this done.

the ping pong type lottery balls they use these days have the numerals silk screened on and have seven or more coats of hard lacquer on them. Any type of magnetic stickers would be easily seen and felt. Every lottery that uses balls goes through strict... [ More ]

Comment #6

lottoscorp — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:10:58 GMT

I just have a couple of questions:

How do you go from an action where someone from the Tennesee Lottery selects a U for Unique or an R for repeat... To a Glitch in the program that results all these story changes?

The claim was the U or the R ...Somebody my have been preparing to steal lots of money from the players.

Also, what are the changes that have been made that would be noticeable in the future as, it has more than been proven that you can attach electronic-magnectic... [ More ]

Comment #5

Littleoldlady — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:29:51 GMT

As an experienced lottery director she should have taken the peoples point of view into consideration before switching drawing types. If anyone should be looking at anything they should be looking into why she did what she did. And review there charter processes to see if she broke any of the rules regarding changing lottery drawings.

I agree totally. She should NOT have been able to change the types of draws without input from SOMEONE! If she did make the judgement call without any input

Comment #4

four4me — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:57:22 GMT

Only experienced lottery players who track numbers and play accordingly would have picked up on this and a majority of all players might have started playing doubles thinking they would have to come out sooner or later.

There is no way of knowing without seeing the actual drawing betting statistics. And that information could have been doctored to show that many people didn't play doubles during that time. There is no way a lottery could convince me otherwise that people dropped doubles in f... [ More ]

Comment #3

JAP69 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:41:17 GMT

I wonder if they pulled ticket history in the game since R N G started wether quick picks are hitting at a higher or lower ratio or wether pick your own is doing better or worse.

That would be a nice stat to see.

Comment #2

Hammer1 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 15:39:07 GMT

Texas Lottery

8-8-07

Bobby,

Thank you.

Dawn

At 10:05 AM 8/8/2007 -0500, Heith, Robert wrote:

The answer to your original question is no, you would not receive a ticket containing three of the same numbers.

Robert E. (Bobby) Heith

Media Relations Director

512/344-5210

---------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Dawn Nettles [mailto:lottoreport@tx.rr.com]

Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 9:56 AM

To: Heith, Robert; Elrod, Robert; Vasquez, Letici... [ More ]

Comment #1

Bradly_60 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:53:34 GMT

When things like this happen we all throw our hands up in the air. But if you really think about it, if you figured it out your odds were actually better at winning. This seems to be the case if the players stopped playing those numbers. In daily 3 that takes out 280 possible combinations out of 1000 which isn't bad. The 50% payout ratio of the game still wouldn't allow you to make money buying all the tickets but definetly cut the odds down. It is kind of funny. All the mistakes in drawin... [ More ]

Tenn. players picked up on new odds before lottery revealed glitch

Lottery Post — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 11:43:05 GMT

Updated! Includes illustrative charts below.

Somebody knew. Or somebody caught on.

An analysis of 55 million tickets played in the Cash 3 and Cash 4 lottery games shows that in August, more people started playing the numbers most likely to come up.

That is the time period when a glitch in a new computerized system of picking numbers prevented duplicating combinations such as 1-1-2 or 3-3-3-3 from being drawn.

A Tennessean computer analysis indicates that players either knew or figu... [ More ]