All times shown are Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Home -> Forums -> Lottery Discussion -> POLL 1 of 3: Computerized drawings vs. ball drawings POLL 1 of 3: Computerized drawings vs. ball drawingsPrevious TopicNext TopicUnited Kingdom Member #31679 January 27, 2006 65 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 7:56 am - IP Logged | |
I'm not flogging you Steve, let's take this example. What if, 5 or 10 minutes from draw time. They do a check, find the the number with the least sales, then generate that number with a few lines of code change. Do you think that could happen or how many times has it really happen and the public will never know. When a lottery official starts using the word "integrity", beware. I thought that's how computerised drawings worked lol! It gives lottery companies greater control over the amount winnings they have to (or not) pay out. | | |
Viva La Chance! Rockville, MD. United States Member #44542 July 30, 2006 3730 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 8:27 am - IP Logged | |
I thought that's how computerised drawings worked lol! It gives lottery companies greater control over the amount winnings they have to (or not) pay out. Yes, here in the US some states have computerized KENO games that run every few minutes, they have controlled payouts, dependent on the amount of players and who knows what other factors. | | |
MD United States Member #1735 June 18, 2003 7059 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 10:57 am - IP Logged | |
Okay, don't flog me here, but I chose Computerized drawings because that would open up possibilities that maybe it would be possible to create a system that could get hits more often than trying to guess the machine ball outcome. Seems I've heard that it's pretty tough to actually write a true RNG program and maybe players could spot a rythmn or glitch and take advantage of it. The outcome of a Mechanical ball machine is pretty tough to unravel in my opinion. Maybe I'd have better luck with RNG's. sfillippo wrote: Okay, don't flog me here, but I chose Computerized drawings because that would open up possibilities that maybe it would be possible to create a system that could get hits more often than trying to guess the machine ball outcome.
I often thought about this for keno the 3 minute games some states have, if you could record every game say via a camera hookup and some computer software you could figure out how their RNG chip processed the numbers and write a program to make money from it. The problem is getting enough records of draws before they changed the chip. If they change the chip every two or three days then you couldn't get enough info to write a decent program that would work. So i guess the same would be true for pick 3/4 or 5 computerized drawings. I suppose if they had a stand alone system and didn't change the chip one could get enough records say in about 3/5 years worth of drawings to decipher the code. Some places use more than one computer for the drawings and or have several RNG chip sets. So some people won't go ape on me i was told this by a person whom use to work for the lottery. The lottery is aware that people will go to great lengths to try and win the games and by the same respect they will go to great lengths to see to it they we can't crack their ball drawing processes. That goes for ball drawings and computerized drawings. | | |
Just outside of Cleveland, OH United States Member #54547 August 3, 2007 104 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 11:08 am - IP Logged | |
IMHO if a state wants to run a lottery that is fair & random, it should have the balls to do it! 
Nicely Put! | | |
Kentucky United States Member #33045 February 14, 2006 2812 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 3:52 pm - IP Logged | |
I'm not flogging you Steve, let's take this example. What if, 5 or 10 minutes from draw time. They do a check, find the the number with the least sales, then generate that number with a few lines of code change. Do you think that could happen or how many times has it really happen and the public will never know. When a lottery official starts using the word "integrity", beware. "What if, 5 or 10 minutes from draw time. They do a check, find the the number with the least sales, then generate that number with a few lines of code change." Or they could program the computer to automatically scan for the combinations with the most money wagered on them. Football season is about to start so every Monday we'll see the "opening lines" in the sports section. If too much money is bet one way, the bookies add or subtract from the point spread to entice bets on the other way. If the betting gets too high on one side a bookie can lay off some of the bets to another bookie so a winning outcome for one bookie might be a losing outcome for other bookies. One bookie might consider fixing the outcome of the games to "make a killing" but the bookies on the losing side might send them cement boots; even illegal gambling has checks and balances. Lotteries don't have worry about other bookies so live mechanical ball drawings is the only way that prevents them from fixing the game and "making a killing" to maximize dollars for education. Ms Hargrove was right about one thing, if somebody wanted to fix the game so they could win, eliminating any chance of a double being drawn would be the wrong way to go. But what if the draw was fixed to maximize dollars for education? | | |
Greenwich, CT United States Member #4879 May 24, 2004 1822 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 29, 2007, 5:05 pm - IP Logged | |
I think I've made my position very clear on this subject. Aside from the very valid argument that they're more easily and undetectably compromised, using computers to draw lottery numbers removes an essential element from all of the games. We enjoy the excitement of watching the balls blow around inside the hoppers, watching our numbers roll out one by one and, most of all, anticipating that final number while our hearts pound so hard we think we'll pass out or die. Now, that's exciting; that's a real lottery drawing. I've watched tens of thousands of true lottery drawings over the years, and I don't remember thinking, even once, "Gee, I wish these drawings were more technologically advanced." Funny thing is, I've never seen even ONE drawing made by a computer. I've seen animated images of computer drawings that were made to look like they were drawn using balls, but I've never seen the actual drawing in real time. I wish someone would apply this wonderful technology to a game that would cause the general public to see what we've seen. I wish some sports team owner would wake up and realize that he could save hundreds of millions of dollars per year just by creating and organizing virtual football or basketball teams. No more injuries; no more scandals and no more multi-million dollar player contracts. My God; why NOT do it? NASCAR sponsors and owners could also save scads of money by turning live races into video games, as they've done with these virtual lottery drawings. Just because new technology is available for a given application does not necessarily indicate that it can or should be adopted. We have the technology to enable our government to know, at any given moment, what ANYONE in the country is doing, even while they're inside their own homes. Does this mean we should allow them to do it? We have the technology and means to decimate every other country in the world. Why isn't this technology being utilized? These are extreme examples, to be sure, but here's one more: We have the technology to grow staple crops in pure desert sand. I don't have to ask why this technology isn't being employed, because I already know the answer. It costs 27% more to grow corn or soybeans in hot sand than it does to grow it in soil in a less-hostile climate, thus negating any potential profit (wheat costs 18% more to grow in the desert but, for some reason, sand-grown wheat yields 6% more grain per acre). So far, with the lone exception of the very first state to convert to using an RNG (I think it was Connecticut, but I wouldn't swear to it), every other state lottery that has embraced these machines has made the same comment: "Other states are already using this technology, and it's important that we keep up with industry trends." I'm waiting for the day when a lottery public relations spokesman says, "Well, other state lottery directors were jumping off bridges, so ..." Definitely not Connecticut. Still all balls. | | |
United States Member #5437 June 30, 2004 21911 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 30, 2007, 7:30 am - IP Logged | |
I am with you on this. I quit them too. Best chance to even come close in TN now with Pick 3 is to do a qp and hope it is a number that was played the least. | | |
United States Member #15582 May 13, 2005 307 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 30, 2007, 8:16 am - IP Logged | |
I chose balls. I wondered though about the make of the balls. For example, balls of metal vs. balls of rubber. Would there be a predictable difference in the outcome? | | |
United States Member #16902 June 2, 2005 3493 Posts Offline
| | Posted: August 30, 2007, 2:09 pm - IP Logged | |
I hate computer drawings. I like ball drawings that are fair as my vote. | | |
Coastal Georgia United States Member #2703 October 30, 2003 1867 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 30, 2007, 5:46 pm - IP Logged | |
101 to 7 at this juncture in favor of balls... | | |
United States Member #53817 July 4, 2007 2401 Posts Offline | | Posted: August 30, 2007, 10:38 pm - IP Logged | |
Random will never be programmed, I don't care what any computer scientist says. Just like voting machines, it's too easy to stack the deck with hidden code. And if you did finally figure out the rhythm the programmer would just change it. Less hits for the people who play this game. The answer is simple. Balls  "Here comes the sun, and I say, it's alright." The Beatles "But if we really say it, the radio won't play it." Peter Paul and Mary | | |
United States Member #16902 June 2, 2005 3493 Posts Offline
| | Posted: August 31, 2007, 2:05 pm - IP Logged | |
I hate computer drawings. I like ball drawings that are fair as my vote. I don't like computer drawings. The odds of winning a jackpot is better fair if it's ball drawn. | | |
EAST COAST, USA United States Member #49886 January 31, 2007 493 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 3, 2007, 9:09 am - IP Logged | |
I know there have been many polls like this before, but let's do a fresh poll, to find out what the current feelings of lottery players are. I'd appreciate as much participation as possible, no matter what your viewpoint is. Please indicate your preference as to what type of lottery drawings your prefer — - Computerized drawings, which use a computer system to generate random numbers. Some computerized states show the results in an animated cartoon sequence, and other computerized states have dropped television productions.
- Mechanical ball drawings, which use a bin or tub to mix numbered ping pong balls or hard rubber balls, and from which the winning numbers are drawn. Most ball drawings are broadcast on television live or taped and shown later.
Enter one choice or the other, even if you are swayed ever so slightly one way or the other. You may enter a comment as well, but it is optional. Also, please participate in the other two polls posted. POLL 1 of 3: Computerized drawings vs. ball drawings You are currently viewing this poll POLL 2 of 3: Switching to computerized drawings http://www.lotterypost.com/thread/161744 POLL 3 of 3: Switching to mechanical ball drawings http://www.lotterypost.com/thread/161743 What type of drawing does NC and SC have? Whatever it is it works for me. | | |
EAST COAST, USA United States Member #49886 January 31, 2007 493 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 3, 2007, 10:19 pm - IP Logged | |
Okay, don't flog me here, but I chose Computerized drawings because that would open up possibilities that maybe it would be possible to create a system that could get hits more often than trying to guess the machine ball outcome. Seems I've heard that it's pretty tough to actually write a true RNG program and maybe players could spot a rythmn or glitch and take advantage of it. The outcome of a Mechanical ball machine is pretty tough to unravel in my opinion. Maybe I'd have better luck with RNG's. I'm in that small percentage also Steve. I agree with your philosophy. But only because I know it to be true. | | |
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United States Member #50669 March 1, 2007 4 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 6, 2007, 7:15 pm - IP Logged | |
What type of drawing does NC and SC have? Whatever it is it works for me. Look at the State Lottery Report Card in the results menu. Every game and state is listed. | | |
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