Some not pleased with N.J. Lottery Internet drawing broadcast

Jul 6, 2011, 10:52 am (11 comments)

New Jersey Lottery

But move to Web might eventually broaden the number of TV stations to carry live draws

EAST ORANGE, N.J. — It doesn't matter what changes:  any time a change occurs at the lottery, there are some who won't like it.

Genevieve Tappan has played the New Jersey Lottery for more than 40 years, but hasn't bought a ticket since Saturday, when she realized the nightly drawings were no longer being televised.

"I like to see them pull it so they don't have the chance to switch it," said Tappan, 80, of East Orange. "Older people don't trust the system. We know what happens."

Last Friday, when the state switched from the state-run NJN to the privately operated NJTV, the New Jersey Lottery debuted a new live Internet version of the daily drawings. Viewers can now watch the drawings on the lottery's website, www.NJLottery.net and on its Facebook page.

But some players are unhappy with the change.

Tappan doesn't own a computer, nor do any of her friends, and she says they won't play the lottery again until they can watch the drawings on their televisions.

They may not have to wait long.

The Lottery's internet stream is broadcast quality and will be made available to TV outlets in the near future, according to spokeswoman Jacquie Fiorito. State officials are talking to WNET about incorporating the live stream into its NJTV programming.

The switch from TV to internet was done to save money, according to Fiorito, who said lottery officials decided not to renew the $1.2 million contract with NJN months ago, before state officials signed a contract with WNET to manage the TV operation. The lottery contract with NJN expired last Thursday.

After a one-time expense of $150,000 for a high-definition camera, studio and set, the lottery staff will produce the broadcast, saving more than a million dollars a year, Fiorito said. Last year, the lottery grossed $2.6 billion and contributed $924 million to educational programs and state-sponsored institutions for veterans, the developmentally disabled and others.

Fiorito said the number of viewers watching the TV broadcast was too low to justify the continued cost.

"We get 155,000 visitors a day on our website, and we were getting maybe 20,000 a week on NJN," she said. "We just couldn't justify a $1.2 million contract for less than 20,000 people a week watching."

Lottery officials were expecting resistance to the change, said Fiorito, who said she tells unhappy callers that the numbers are still being pulled live, even if they don't have Internet access to witness it. "Our first priority was the integrity of the draw. We're happy to say it has been without a glitch," Fiorito said. "It is still audited, people are still winning."

The drawings are streamed on the lottery website and on Facebook at 12:57 and 7:56 p.m.; Mega Millions numbers are drawn Tuesday and Friday and Powerball numbers are picked Wednesday and Saturday. Those drawings are at 10:59 p.m.

Star-Ledger, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

surimaribo24's avatarsurimaribo24

sad thing is the lottery organization dont care what we think specialy in this case . players  just have to go with the flow . after 40 year of playing lottery and still dont own a computer Thudthats pretty sad  for Tappan also .

Raven62's avatarRaven62

This is what happens when the bean counters run the Lottery!

20,000 x 52 = 1,040,000 Viewings per Year

$1,200,000 / 52 = $23,077 per Week

Come on Folks: Compare Apples to Apples & Oranges to Oranges!

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Jul 6, 2011

This is what happens when the bean counters run the Lottery!

20,000 x 52 = 1,040,000 Viewings per Year

$1,200,000 / 52 = $23,077 per Week

Come on Folks: Compare Apples to Apples & Oranges to Oranges!

Are you saying all people who make up those 1,040,000 viewings per year are going to stop playing the lottery?  I think not.  I think some people say they'll stop -- and maybe they will for a little while.  But they will start again, and then get used to the new way the drawings are broadcast.  Then they'll complain again if something else changes, and threaten to stop playing again.

I am really happy about the NJ Lottery going to live web streaming of drawings.  It is absolutely the way to go, and it protects real drawings.

The bottom line is that lotteries are forced to save money -- would you rather have computerized drawings?  I would want anything but that.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

i keep forgetting to go to the website at drawing time, since i was not in the habit of watching it on tv. i lost njn over 10 years ago when i switched from cable to satellite which did't carry the channel.now i going to put a post it on the moniter to remind me

time*treat's avatartime*treat

"Older people don't trust the system. We know what happens."

I wonder if Ms. Tappan insists on paper ballots. Wink

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

hopefully they will come around....

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Jul 6, 2011

i keep forgetting to go to the website at drawing time, since i was not in the habit of watching it on tv. i lost njn over 10 years ago when i switched from cable to satellite which did't carry the channel.now i going to put a post it on the moniter to remind me

now 7:44 need to go out and wash the car before it get to late,remembered,but i think i'll do it the way i have been, at least til it gets too cold out.

Prob988

Whatever they do for the drawing, their new website is terrible.

They are covering up the cash values, and don't offer a convenient breakdown of jackpots.

I'm using Ohio's website instead and will just blow off New Jersey's cash 5.

It really stinks.

calabs's avatarcalabs

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Jul 6, 2011

Are you saying all people who make up those 1,040,000 viewings per year are going to stop playing the lottery?  I think not.  I think some people say they'll stop -- and maybe they will for a little while.  But they will start again, and then get used to the new way the drawings are broadcast.  Then they'll complain again if something else changes, and threaten to stop playing again.

I am really happy about the NJ Lottery going to live web streaming of drawings.  It is absolutely the way to go, and it protects real drawings.

The bottom line is that lotteries are forced to save money -- would you rather have computerized drawings?  I would want anything but that.

Hmmmmm.... you beat me to the punch.  I rather like the web drawing (that is if you can see the numbers as they pop up and you write them down fast enough).  I never watched the drawings on TV, so the web drawings is a nice feature in my world.  And as you say Todd, they are at least drawing off of balls, which is my mind is the most important thing.

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

It's too bad she didn't start playing 50 years ago. Then she could have stopped playing when they started broadcasting the drawings in color.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by KY Floyd on Jul 11, 2011

It's too bad she didn't start playing 50 years ago. Then she could have stopped playing when they started broadcasting the drawings in color.

nj lottery started 40 years ago,i think everyone had coler tv by then except me LOL

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