Why does it take so long ...

Reply #22

pacattack05 — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:30:17 GMT

LOL..You know....no matter how witty I get, you are always one step ahead. I guess it comes with having ALOT of experience.Good show chap.........

Reply #21

Chewie — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:09:05 GMT

An hours speech? How long does it say to strike a match, light the string thingie, and watch the long thingie make fire magic? You musta gave a demo.

Reply #20

pigsNtrees — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 22:52:26 GMT

Kinda like an auditor making sure that the scales that weigh fruit and vegetables at the market are accurate.Once again thanks for helping a newbie understand the underpinnings of how the lotteries work.

Reply #19

Todd — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 22:00:14 GMT

It may have something to do with the fact that MUSL is a central organization that runs Powerball, and perhaps is easier to reconcile that Mega Millions, which has no central organization running it. (The states jointly operate Mega Millions.)Pre- and Post-Drawings are real drawings that take place before and after the official drawing, to ensure that the machines are properly drawing the numbers randomly. Some states report the numbers drawn during these tests on their web site, but most do... [ More ]

Reply #18

pigsNtrees — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:55:50 GMT

Thanks for the explanation. I assume that PB and MM have the same checks and balances yet MM takes hours more than PB to post if there is a winner. As far as the big deal I was just asking a question. I have no idea how these things work and thought since this is a site about the lottery someone (like you) might know the answer. It was in no way meant as a criticism.What are ... Lotteries normally do pre-drawings and post-drawings

Reply #17

Todd — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 21:12:54 GMT

They know if there was a jackpot winner within a minute or two. That's easy. However, it takes a few hours because of all the auditing that takes place following the drawing. Lotteries normally do pre-drawings and post-drawings, and that's just to audit the draw machines themselves. They also have to audit all the sales and financials from all the states, and it's just a matter of taking time.These things all take place so that the government has the appropriate checks and balances in place... [ More ]

Reply #16

pacattack05 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 19:55:25 GMT

It's funny you mention that Chewie.Last year I gave an hour speech on rocket science at Harvard.After the speech someone asked me if I was a rocket scientist, and I said no, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

Reply #15

Chewie — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 19:38:16 GMT

None of that counts - unless you stay at a Holiday Inn

Reply #14

pacattack05 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:21:02 GMT

NO.....The people they hire, are all MIT graduates.

Reply #13

pigsNtrees — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:17:47 GMT

Gee wiz so through human error they can get it wrong

Reply #12

pacattack05 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:16:07 GMT

It's true Jag, I saw it in the National Inquirer, and in a fortune cookie.

Reply #11

JAG331 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 18:02:32 GMT

Haha. You've had some brilliant explanations lately, pacattack.

Reply #10

pacattack05 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:52:25 GMT

The real reason it takes so long is that everytime someone purchases tickets, there is also a ticket printed at the lottery headqurters.They hire a 1000 people to look through all those millions of tickets, and find a match. That can take a very long time.

Reply #9

pigsNtrees — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:48:37 GMT

From....http://www.usamega.com/<snip>11:03 pm - Powerball: The Wednesday, November 16, 2005 Powerball drawing has taken place, and the results are 5-18-20-21-44,- The Wednesday, November 16, 2005 Powerball drawing has taken place, and the results are ----, <snip>11:59 pm - Powerball: There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing,- There was no jackpot winner in the Wednesday Powerball drawing, So we are talking less than an hour.<snip>Tuesday, November 15, 200511:05 pm - Mega Mi... [ More ]

Reply #8

Chewie — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:46:23 GMT

Actually, your bank has nothing to do with it. There is a several seperate companies that approve/disapprove. Then it is a simple check mark again a known sequence of numbers. Some of the numbers are only bank related, and totally ignored. The software doesn't even care if you have sufficient funds, just if the special number sequence has an approve/disapprove amount. Some record number of hits and some match that with a valu, but still only a check mark. A mark that is in the computer 24... [ More ]

Reply #7

fxsterling — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:27:14 GMT

i can use my visa card and the bank knows it but the lotto can't run the #'s for 3hours they get paid well and we should know with a quickness

Reply #6

pigsNtrees — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 16:55:14 GMT

Why is there such a big discrepancy between the time that MM post if there s a winner 3 am last time and PB which posted at 12 midnight last time

Reply #5

JAG331 — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 05:22:36 GMT

*sings* The waiting is the hardest part... C'mon, everybody

Reply #4

nomoneybabe — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 02:36:25 GMT

Hello! I don't know what time is the drawing time ...I have to sleep early ...and will double check tomorow morning ...Sooner or later , there will be a winner, hope everyone being OK

Reply #3

fxsterling — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 02:29:22 GMT

il. web sight has been putting it out about 2 hours after draw just watch post after 1am east coast time

Reply #2

pigsNtrees — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 02:05:31 GMT

Thanks. The drawing is held at about 10:10 pm, so it s about a three to five hour wait for me, that is if it s one of those nights I can t sleep. Since it s all computerized I just assumed they would know within minutes not hours.

Reply #1

MADDOG10 — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:54:11 GMT

well, the individual states have to run the numbers through their computors to see if there is a winning combination. Then it's reported to mega headquaters and after verification it's posted...

Why does it take so long ...

pigsNtrees — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:45:33 GMT

for Mega Millions to post if someone has won? For me I have to stay up to at least 1am sometimes to 3am. So why the long wait