I've always wonder...

Reply #21

rcbbuckeye — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:48:17 GMT

The 15 min period doesn't bother me too much, but I have to wonder, what happens if the machine fails the post-drawing test ?

In any case, I don't worry about them cheating players.....with 175+ million to one odds, they don't need to cheat.

Reply #20

psykomo — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:28:52 GMT

THIS BRO KNOW'$

A jeep R A tank kan play mega

butt, Kan-U play MadDog ???

????????????????????????

LOL

PSYKOMO

Reply #19

Mega-ThinkTank — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:35:15 GMT

Yes, you're right and the link is straight off the MM's website. Yes, it does take approximately 3 hours for pre-tests with the live drawing, less than 60 seconds (as I've stated). However, the two procedures are not simultaneously done. There's a waiting time after the pre-tests (during the day or evening) and then the live draw are conducted at 11:00 PM Eastern Time.

Now, the problem I see is still the 15 minutes laspe before the live draw. The website say they announce the numbers at 11:00... [ More ]

Reply #18

justxploring — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:59:32 GMT

The entire process takes approximately three hours for a drawing that takes less than 60 seconds.

They must get paid by the hour

Reply #17

four4me — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:57:42 GMT

The info i provided is straight off there website.

http://www.theofficialbiggame.com/aboutus/game_security.asp

The Mega Millions Drawings are conducted under rigid security procedures. Drawings are held at WSB-TV studio in Atlanta, Georgia every Tuesday and Friday night at 11:00PM eastern time. Many things go into a successful Mega Millions drawing.

The drawing machines and ball sets for each game are randomly selected and certified by outside auditors, to ensure that balls a... [ More ]

Reply #16

RJOh — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:29:13 GMT

I stand corrected, during the Cash Explosion show today I timed those four drawings and they took one minute and forty-five seconds. They may go faster during the week days because they are shown during regular commercial time between TV programs.

Reply #15

RJOh — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:56:06 GMT

Ohio has live drawings with balls every day and three days a week 4 games, Pick3, Pick4, Rolling Cash5 and Classic Lotto are included which has to be completed in about the time of a 30 seconds commercial. Any mistakes and the drawing can't be completed on screen so they have to be sure everything is working right, even the announcer.

Reply #14

justxploring — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:31:20 GMT

Interesting question - just when are the pre-tests? I mean, if they are not immediately before the actual drawing, then how does that prevent tampering? (in Florida someone would Tampa with them :-)

Seriously, I just assumed that the pre-tests were a few minutes before 11:00. I wish they didn't have them at all. If they simply check the balls for size weight to make sure they are equal, there is no reason for a pre-test. After all, even if one of the balls is 1/10 of a millimeter larger and... [ More ]

Reply #13

Mega-ThinkTank — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:36:08 GMT

Thanks Stack,

Your point goes into the heart of my argument. When you stated that it takes less than 30 seconds to draw the numbers ... I was saying the same thing that it shouldn't take more than a minute to pull out the winning numbers. Now, Four4me said it takes 3 hours to prepare for the winning numbers. She/he stated that they do pre-test draws and the live draws simultaneously. I will be calling Georgia to find out for sure if that's how it's done with MM.

I do remember reading... [ More ]

Reply #12

Stack47 — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:27:59 GMT

When it's 9:45 PM in the Central Time Zone, it's 10:45 in the Eastern Time Zone and 7:45 PM in California. The drawing is held live in Atlanta, Georgia at 11:00 PM Eastern time so that means it's 10:00 PM in the Central, 9:00 PM in the Mountain, and at 8:00 PM in the Pacific Time Zone.

If California allowed wagers on MM until 10:45 PM local time, people would have 2 hours and 45 minutes to play the winning numbers that had already been drawn. Bet some players would still play their favorite n... [ More ]

Reply #11

Todd — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:34:15 GMT

Reply #10

four4me — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:57:23 GMT

mega millions is a live on air ball drawing. All this information about the draw is here.

http://www.theofficialbiggame.com/default.asp

They take the game to participating states when the jackpot gets up around 200 million give or take 20 million or so because they can .... and want to show that the drawings are real. When they do the drawing in New York the people on the street can see the drawing take place.

Now as for the draw and the prep time a POSTER WHO COMES TO THIS SITE WORKS F... [ More ]

Reply #9

Mega-ThinkTank — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:32:24 GMT

I live in Texas and that's what I was saying: sales stop at 9:45 P.M. I was telling this to another poster, obviously he thinks I'm lying or something (and why would I lie about it???)

So, it takes 3 hours to prepare a draw? I didn't know that. I was told a while back that pre-drawing are conducted much earlier to get the real drawing in place and then they lock up area until time of the draw. I'm not sure they conduct the pre-drawing and the live draw simultaneously. If that's how it goes wi... [ More ]

Reply #8

four4me — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:48:18 GMT

mega Millions drawings are held Tuesday and Friday nights at 11:00 p.m. eastern time by the Georgia Lottery in Atlanta. You can buy tickets until 10:45 p.m. eastern time in all Mega Millions states except California, Illinois, Texas and Washington.

There are times they take the drawing on the road when the pots get high.

It takes up to three hours. to get a drawing ready.... one poster who worked for the studio in Georgia where the drawing is conducted said that during the last few minu... [ More ]

Reply #7

DC81 — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:05:46 GMT

Yeah, I angered many a person who came in at 10:45 PM trying to buy a ticket. We couldn't even sell or cash in scratch offs.

Reply #6

justxploring — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:58:42 GMT

Then you'd hate living in FL. From the FL web site / Fantasy 5

Drawings are held seven days per week at approximately 11:15 p.m. Eastern. You can purchase tickets until 10:40 p.m. for that night's draw. Tickets purchased after 10:40 p.m. will be for the next draw.

Reply #5

Mega-ThinkTank — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:14:31 GMT

I don't know why I have a knack for irrelevant details but I do. I'm a thinking freak. On the real, I think it's a legitimate question. If you paying for anything, there should be an open-policy where you spend your money. I think all information should be available.

Not that I'm assuming this, but in 14 to 15 minutes, that's enough time to tinker with anything in the world of electronic tech. Who knows what the lottery officials are really doing in that much time before announcing the number... [ More ]

Reply #4

Mega-ThinkTank — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:08:51 GMT

Yeah, I'm aware of the different time zones since there are several states playing the MM. Here in Houston Texas, they stop selling them at 9:45 P.M. I remember I came 5 minutes late and the terminal wouldn't take my numbers. Then around 10:30 P.M., the numbers are announced (though the number been available at 10:00PM) -- I check 'em online at the Texas Lottery site.

That's besides the point though. I want to know why the lottery officials need 14 to 15 minutes to announce the numbers... [ More ]

Reply #3

MillionsWanted — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:49:38 GMT

Here's finally the answer: Does the Light Really Ever Go Off? (Youtube link

Reply #2

justxploring — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:52:53 GMT

Do you really think about this?

No, I'm too busy trying to figure out if the light really goes out when I close the refrigerator door.

Reply #1

RJOh — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:24:57 GMT

The MM drawings are at 11:00 PM EST and in Ohio I have bought MM tickets at 10:50 PM EST. Terminals everywhere don't switch over at 10:45 PM EST on drawing nights. Some clerks have told me that I had plenty of time to buy tickets after 10:45, but I don't like to chance it when I have a choice.

I've always wonder...

Mega-ThinkTank — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:40:49 GMT

what the Lottery officials at the Mega Million headquarters (New Jersey) are doing when the game stops at 9:45 P.M. What's the next step they do? I know the numbers are accounted for from all the retails from every Mega Million state but what are they doing for the next 15 minutes before announcing the winning numbers?

Though they bringing in tons of sales (numbers), the computer system can process it all in less than a minute, I assume. So, what's the holdup for 15 minutes? You ever wonder a... [ More ]