Random Generation of Quickpicks

Reply #22

justxploring — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:51:29 GMT

Coin Toss, are you eggsactly sure of that? (groan)

I didn't know this thread was going to begin a debate on randomness, but since it has, I don't think the lottery can be random in its purest sense for the reasons already quoted. That doesn't mean it's rigged or there is a conspiracy either. What can be really random? Haven't you ever purchased 2 of the same device (a tv or a computer) and one has more problems than the other?

I guess I still can't put into words what I was trying... [ More ]

Reply #21

Coin Toss — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:12:21 GMT

But Rick, there's a rumor going around that when Linda Kollmeyer isn't calling the numbers she hangs out at a White Hen

Reply #20

Rick G — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 17:08:53 GMT

I get all my daily routine stuff at a mom and pop convenience store. Great owners and their prices are competitive with a supermarket, unlike White Hen. Just came back from there with a 20 oz. coffee that cost .79 compared to White Hen's buck and a half.

Reply #19

KY Floyd — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:31:25 GMT

That's my take on why we see so many winners from convenience stores. I know I've gotten my tickets at the grocery store at least once, but I'm not sure I've gotten them there more than that. I get gas and I grab my bet slip on the way in to pay, or I stop whle passing a convenience store and I'm in and out. The parking lot is smaller, the store is smaller, and the whole process is faster.

Personally, I'm a true believer that the lottery is random, so my only criteria for where I buy ticke... [ More ]

Reply #18

KY Floyd — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:17:08 GMT

Unless winning results are discarded, what does it matter when the results are generated? You pull a handle and you win or you lose. As long as the results are random, you win or lose based on the probability of the possible results.

As far as your statement that any game that has a predetermined out come is considered rigged, exactly what does predetermined out come mean? In any game of chance the long term outcome is predetermined. The lottery will earn a profit of about 50% before ex... [ More ]

Reply #17

Rick G — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:09:01 GMT

How many of us have a routine where we go to a convenience store daily to get coffee, smokes, a sandwich or a newspaper? I do, and that is the most convenient place and time to buy a lottery ticket as part of a daily routine. Same with liquor stores...usually most of their customers are daily repeats. Gas stations and grocery stores don't have too many daily repeat customers. Those seem to be spur of the moment ticket purchases.

In my neck of the woods we have a lot of White Hens...two w... [ More ]

Reply #16

KY Floyd — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:01:38 GMT

I know you didn't say anything about a conspiracy, and the you was a generic you . Just because my response was about your question doesn't mean it was limited only to what you specifically asked. We both know that a few people here see a lot more black helicopters than the rest of us. Either QPs are generated randomly or they aren't, and the lotteries say that they're random. I've got no reason to disbelieve that, but some people have suggested that lottery terminals across the country are t... [ More ]

Reply #15

Todd — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:57:53 GMT

I basically agree with you, but the reality is that taking such a stand would require taking the government to court, which is something even Donald Trump would have a tough time doing. The government has unlimited resources at their disposal.

I think a much better approach is to force them to act by imforming the public of what they are doing with these computerized drawings, and they will be forced to act to counter decreasing revenues.

Reply #14

Rick G — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:45:19 GMT

vt8366a, no they can't be calibrated. My agent wasn't happy about his winners-to-sales ratio and asked for a different terminal. They gave him a different one but he says it hasn't made a difference.

If it could be calibrated, he'd be calibrating.

Reply #13

Coin Toss — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:39:46 GMT

KY Floyd

Sure, there are a lot more White Hens than Korgers. But how many people are in each during any given day?

Let's say a community has a Kroger, a Schnuck's, a Huck's, Moto-Mart, three liquor stores, and a White Hen. And in a year, 5 Little Lotto winners are sold, 4 of them at the White Hen. Kind of curious, no?

And there are plenty of other convenience marts than the white Hen - Huck's, moto-Mart, many more, but yet the winners seem to be sold in White Hens (and liqour stores!).... [ More ]

Reply #12

BaristaExpress — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:32:24 GMT

I'm sorry about the statement Any game that has a predetermined out come is considered rigged! When referring to the lottery and RNG that is use for the lottery! I apologize.

I was think ahead about the slot machines that have a computer chip inside them. The discovery channel had some thing a while back about Vegas and the slot machines! Every time a slot handle is pulled or a button is pushed and the wheels spin, by the time the last wheel is done spinning the out come of the next pull o... [ More ]

Reply #11

BaristaExpress — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 14:17:49 GMT

Todd, my question to you is? Instead of signing a petition to eliminate computerized drawings, why not go on the legality of the game being rigged? What I mean is this: if any game of any type is seeded then it's rigged! Below is a quote from that past posting in that thread above.

This is actually a pretty technical subject. Basically speaking, in the world of computers, there is no way possible to create a truly random number. Computers are built to be precise machines, and randomness is... [ More ]

Reply #10

justxploring — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 10:15:23 GMT

If you think the lottery is engaged in some kind of conspiracy you're only reasonable choices are to become part of the conspiracy or stop buying tickets. KY Floyd

Conspiracy? Where did I speak of a conspiracy?? In over 1,300 posts I don't think I ever said I thought there was some big conspiracy or that the lottery was fixed. Please don't confuse me with other posters or (as they say on Law Order) assume things not in evidence.

I was simply asking a question about the generation of... [ More ]

Reply #9

ayenowitall — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:27:35 GMT

If there's no interface between the actual draw mechanism and the QP generators, does it really matter where QPs are generated or purchased? I think not.

Reply #8

KY Floyd — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:23:43 GMT

AFAIK, all of the states say that quick picks are generated randomly. If they're generated randomly it doesn't matter whether they're all generated on a single central computer or if a separate compute is used for every single ticket. Random is random. It may not be 100.000% random, but there isn't any data being used to generate QP's, and they're very close to 100% random. Unless the lottery is lying to you.

As far as where winners come from, would anyone be surprised that so many of them... [ More ]

Reply #7

Coin Toss — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 06:59:12 GMT

Speaking of quick picks and the White Hen:

LITTLE LOTTO PRIZE PAYOUTS FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2007

WINNING NUMBERS: 03 - 11 - 22 - 23 - 37

PLAYER(S) MATCHING 5 OF 5 NUMBERS

INCLUDING SUBSCRIPTION WINNERS: 2

EACH PLAYER WILL RECEIVE: $195,000.00

WINNING TICKET(S) WERE SOLD AT:

600473 COMMERCE SHELL FST N FRS (QP)

1801 S VETERANS

BLOOMINGTON/61701

19... [ More ]

Reply #6

vt8366a — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 04:54:20 GMT

I have heard that in Illinois, each machine can be calibrated. I dont know if this is true but it may explain why some stores have more winning quick pics than other stores.

Reply #5

Todd — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 23:24:33 GMT

The last time I checked into this subject, both GTECH machines and Scientific Games machines generated Quick Picks at the terminal. Unless you know of a state that uses something else, I'd say it's a reasonable assumption that they all do.

There are very few games were the numbers get generated on the mainframe. Raffle games are the best examples I can think of.

BY the way T.C, I had not noticed that.

Reply #4

truecritic — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 22:56:22 GMT

This question -- about where the Quick Pick numbers are generated -- comes up almost as often as the cash vs. annuity debate.

Is anyone prepared to say that the quick picks are chosen from the store terminals for ALL State lotteries? Do all lotteries release information about how many quick picks win from each terminal? Naturally, I am more interested in knowing what Michigan does but am interested in all the States as well.

Reply #3

justxploring — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:58:39 GMT

Thanks, Todd. I'll check out the link. I tried to search for a common thread before I posted. As Coin Toss wrote, the amount of QPs that hit at somes stores and in some cities makes a person wonder. Now that I am reading the above thread, I do recall some others on this subject when I first joined because of the algorithm it discusses. (I'm still not certain what previous activity is based upon.

Reply #2

Todd — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:37:07 GMT

This question -- about where the Quick Pick numbers are generated -- comes up almost as often as the cash vs. annuity debate.

I remember posting about this several times, so I went ahead and did a full search by broadening the date range to include all history. Sure enough, I located one such discussion way back in 2002 (I'm sure there are several since then):

https://www.lotterypost.com/thread/64353

Reply #1

Coin Toss — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:28:55 GMT

Not only are most Illinois winning tickets QP's in the Chicago area but an inrodinate amounf of them are sold at a chain called The white Hen Pantry (sold last year to 7-11).

I know there are a lot of white Hen stores, but I get an e-mail with a list of winners every night and for all the other stores such as Schnuck's and Kroger (rare they sell a winner, maybe 2 a year) there sure seem to be a lot from White Hens.

Maybe a white hen is a luck sign somewhere or something!

Re: the lotte... [ More ]

Random Generation of Quickpicks

justxploring — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:05:23 GMT

I realize we've had many threads where we discuss quick picks vs personal numbers. This time I just want to talk about how they are chosen.

Recently another member quoted a state web site explaining that there is no central computer generating the numbers. Maybe it was for a raffle game, but suddenly this brought up some new questions.

When I check the numbers and read the press releases on the FL site, just about every day someone in Miami hit the Fantasy 5. Even when there are 5 win... [ More ]