Are some drawings truly random or all by algorithms?

Reply #8

hurley1333 — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 02:21:25 GMT

Illinois and Iowa used to have the same draws for pick3 and pick 4. Iowa pulled out about the time Illinois was having budget issues and could not honor immediate prize payments

I am not sure how they managed their draws

Reply #7

Big Joey — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 03:05:09 GMT

RNG are computer picked numbers, not ping pong balls. What if the RNG numbers for one state's drawing is picked by another state's mainframe computer? Does one state's RNG have to be picked by that state's in state computer, or a ethernet connected computer in another state

Reply #6

cottoneyedjoe — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 17:23:43 GMT

If you're in CA, you can contact the lottery to reserve a spot to watch drawings at their headquarters. Superlotto Plus is still a ping pong ball drawing, but all the other in-state games are computer drawings.

Reply #5

GuesssWork — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:14:41 GMT

which would mean the drawings wouldn't be truly random.

ok and if they were not then what?

RNG random verses BALL random will not make it any easier to win the jackpot, ask around

Reply #4

lekker — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 14:01:18 GMT

Had never considered that possibility. If a computer picks the numbers, then it seems an algorithm/formula would have to be involved, which would mean the drawings wouldn't be truly random.

Reply #3

lekker — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:58:03 GMT

Interesting. Do you know if witnesses are present during the live ball drawings and if so, can anyone sign up to be a witness? Thanks.

Reply #2

Big Joey — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 04:14:53 GMT

I've often wondered if all the state lottery's central mainframe computers are connected by ethernet, and if one state's computer picks the numbers for another state

Reply #1

Stack47 — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 04:08:27 GMT

All three games are live ball drawings, but Super Lotto Plus is the only California only game using ball drawings. Some state lotteries claim that high TV costs are the reason they went to computer RNG, but they could stream live ball drawings at for much less.

Are some drawings truly random or all by algorithms?

lekker — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 03:21:02 GMT

I've been wondering if the drawings for PowerBall, MegaMillions, and SuperLotto in California are all determined by algorithms, or if any of them are truly random drawings. Years ago I remember watching the California state lottery drawings on TV when it was done by guests selecting ping pong balls without seeing the numbers on them, and that method seemed truly random with no parameters preset (compared to someone writing an algorithm).

Thanks.