Includes video report
The head of Serbia's national lottery has resigned after a television graphic during this week's draw appeared to predict a winning number.
The incident triggered outrage and dominated front-pages in the Balkan country, where Serbs had hoped the lottery was above the corruption that permeates much of national life.
Police said they have questioned six people during an investigation into whether the winning combination had been set up in advance.
The affair erupted when on the Tuesday evening live broadcast one of the numbers in the winning combination appeared on TV screens before it was actually drawn.
Many Serbs, including pensioners and the jobless for whom the lottery is their one hope of prosperity, watched aghast as the fourth of five balls drawn by the automatic lottery machine came out as 27, but appeared on the TV graphic as 21. The next ball drawn was 21.
The Serbian prime minister, Aleksandar Vucic, told a news conference: "If there was any criminal activity these people will answer to the law. The path to prison is very short."
The lottery company, which is state-run, said the draw would stand, blaming a technical error caused by the person who filled out the television graphic. One lottery executive said it was "pure coincidence" that the graphic would mistakenly call the No 21 ball, only for it then to emerge as the next number.
State Lottery Serbia, which has long been run by political appointees, said in a statement that director Aleksandar Vulovic had resigned "on moral grounds", but that he maintained the draw was completely regular.
VIDEO: Watch the drawing
North Carolina ALWAYS knows what is going to come out so they can minimize their payouts. Wish someone would look into their "Pre-draw" and what they consider a "Live" draws scheme as it is not live, but taped (no one touches the machines or balls).
Ot sure what to think... It is possible that the popcorn ball drawings can be rigged. But knowing keying errors can occur with a 10 key pad being reverse of a phone keypad. One and seven being in reverse positions.... Could be an innocent keying error....
Maybe they mixed up different feeds?
On the plus side this gives Serbia incentive to join Eurojackpot or Euromillions.
Who knew Serbia has a lottery.
Good to see that Vermont has lottery games tp play.
Playing the Lottery is a world wide sensation. Good Luck players !!
Boy, that magic act went horribly wrong.
They need to get with our magicians here for a few good pointers on how to conceal the combo caper better.
All l am going to say is if there was a crack in that container housing the ping pong balls- that presenter would have dived for cover. That's what I call a "Real Spin".
Did I actually read that right? They knew what ball was being drawn before it came up, imagine that. It isn't conspiracy theory anymore, it is now Conspiracy fact.
Edit: Just to add, that now makes me wonder about the Power ball and Mega millions drawings.
Given the speed of those balls, the collision etc- l personally find it hard to believe it was " rigged". That's just my 0.02 cents.
What they wouldn't give for a Computer Picked Drawing right about now, aye?
No Balls!!!
Right...
I'm not surprised you would say that, I suppose that illegal immigrant that committed a crime in san fransicso is hard to believe too, huh?
I like the statement about the path to prison is very short.
Nothing surprises me about your idiocy or asinine posts in general . What on earth has an illegal immigrant committing a crime in San Francisco got to do with the lottery? One is a Crime, the other a Game, can you tell the difference?
True or False : There are NO illegal immigrants in the State of Wisconsin?