FLASH: Tennessee Lottery audit won't investigate drawing errors

Oct 3, 2007, 12:02 pm (25 comments)

Tennessee Lottery

Out-of-control situation gets worse 

Legislators shocked to learn investigation won't study why errors occurred

The Tennessee Lottery hired an outside auditor after a computer issue affected the Cash 3 and Cash 4 games in August, but the auditor will not examine why the system failed.

Lottery officials previously said KPMG would be paid about $90,000 to look into the problem that kept repeat numbers from being drawn for those games for more than three weeks in August.

But a letter obtained by The Tennessean under an open-records request shows that KPMG has been asked to determine only whether the computers now are working properly.

The co-chairmen of a joint legislative committee set to review the audit in early November said that was not what they were told the auditors were going to review.

"What's the sense of doing the audit?'' said Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, one co-chairman. "That just doesn't make sense to me. I thought the whole purpose was about what happened, what created the glitch."

"If that's all they are going to do, then to me it's worthless," said Rep. Ulysses Jones Jr., D-Memphis, the other
co-chairman.

The lottery's internal auditor will look into "operational issues" related to how the glitch happened, lottery spokeswoman Kym Gerlock said.

"It has always been our intent to thoroughly review the issue that occurred with the Cash 3 and Cash 4 random number generators and to ensure they are working properly, and that is precisely what we are doing,'' Gerlock said.

Gerlock made that basic statement several ways in response to questions about why KPMG would not address the origin of the mistake, or how to prevent it from happening again.

More data sought

Lottery officials have said the game became flawed when a computer programmer entered the wrong letter — a "u" for unique instead of an "r" for repeat. As a result, repeat numbers were blocked, even though players could still buy tickets with repeat numbers.

The internal audit was prompted by James H. Ripley, a Sevierville attorney who heads the 3-year-old lottery's audit group.

He asked for an investigation into the error and whether fraud could have been involved. That work is continuing, Gerlock said.

Ketron called an internal audit of the glitch "the fox guarding the henhouse."

He said he planned to send state Comptroller John Morgan a letter today asking him to look at the contracts for the computerized system. The senator said he wanted to know the circumstances that led the lottery on July 28 to switch from a system in which numbered balls popped up in transparent containers to a computer-run system that picked the numbers.

"I had a lot of phone calls from people inside and outside the state who are questioning the honesty of this new computer system,'' Ketron said.

Jones said he would send lottery director Rebecca Paul Hargrove a letter by Friday asking for more information about the KPMG audit. He said an internal lottery audit would only raise more suspicions.

Lottery officials have blamed the coding error on an employee of lottery vendor SmartPlay International Inc., which was paid $221,300 to supply two number-picking computers.

Mike Calabrese, a lottery player from Gallatin, said he cut back on playing Cash 3 and Cash 4 when the lottery made the switch from the ball-drop system.

"I do not like the computerized version,'' he said. "I just don't trust it."

Tennessean

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ToadSchmode's avatarToadSchmode

"Lottery officials have said the game became flawed when a computer programmer entered the wrong letter — a "u" for unique instead of an "r" for repeat. As a result, repeat numbers were blocked, even though players could still buy tickets with repeat numbers."

This is random??? To me it clearly shows the program can be manipulated at any time.

Too many trips or quads played that day and the state doesn't want to pay.   Hey charlie, set the draw for "U"  today!

QUIT PLAYING!!!! Make'em pay for their mistakes. 

KyMystikal's avatarKyMystikal

Quote: Originally posted by ToadSchmode on Oct 3, 2007

"Lottery officials have said the game became flawed when a computer programmer entered the wrong letter — a "u" for unique instead of an "r" for repeat. As a result, repeat numbers were blocked, even though players could still buy tickets with repeat numbers."

This is random??? To me it clearly shows the program can be manipulated at any time.

Too many trips or quads played that day and the state doesn't want to pay.   Hey charlie, set the draw for "U"  today!

QUIT PLAYING!!!! Make'em pay for their mistakes. 

I agree with the quit playing. They never should have switched the format of the drawings without consulting the players. Players should stop playing so we can have a voice that will be heard.

tnlotto1's avatartnlotto1

Quote: Originally posted by KyMystikal on Oct 3, 2007

I agree with the quit playing. They never should have switched the format of the drawings without consulting the players. Players should stop playing so we can have a voice that will be heard.

i was happy when i heard there would be an audit i thought we could get some straight answers but now i see there is no checks and balances with the tennessee lottery they can keep cheating the players in this state if the players keep playing. you are right toad and kymystikal the boycott of this lottery must continue

konane's avatarkonane

Dead skunk in the middle of the road smelling to high heaven!!!  

joshuacloak's avatarjoshuacloak

audit FOR SHOW

not for results,

 lmao

four4me

The legislators ought to jump in and speak up for the people. We could care less about how the computers are working now in fact we would be grateful if they tossed the junk computers in the trash or donated them to some school.

After all it was the glitch that caused people to notice and people tried on numerous occasions to get them to look into their computer problem and they denied having one.

It is clear to the players now that at the keystroke of the computer they can manipulate the drawings. And i presume at their convenience as well.

If anything the legislators should be forcing them to stop all computer drawings and continue using the mechanical drawing machines.

An audit to check if the machines are working properly now is a cover up of any wrong doing on Rebecca's and her staffs part.  

JADELottery's avatarJADELottery

Boycott People... in and around Tennessee... Boycott...  Stop buying, Stop buying.

Demand it People... Answers.... Demand it People... You deserve it... Start the protests People.

Don't sit back and let this one go by!!!!

You deserve better!!!

BobP's avatarBobP

The simple truth is they LIED !!!  They said the drawings could not be tampered with. Here is the very proof the draw can be tampered with !!!  The lottery can change the result to avoid a problem draw by selecting U or R.  Let's say they have a huge sale of 911 on 9/11 they can choose to avoid a repeating digit coming up for that draw. Why would such an option be in there? What other draw changing options are in there?  They got caught !!!  

BobP

aaaok

here in pennsylvania the daytime lottery is computer generated and the night time are the balls. to me random means that anything can happen. so i just get that from the numbers 0 thru 9 .               10 times means atleast 7 different numbers should come up out of 10 drawings. so because of that computer picked numbers want to try their best to keep it pretty much even.  so that makes the computer numbers  kind of predictable,. with the balls that is totally random because u never know which way the ball is going to fall or which ball make it to the hole first. so anyway i hit mostly on the daytime numbers because its like almost u can see what the computer is going to pick. so you take the stab at it. with the balls you have to watch, cross your fingers, and hope ur ball(s) make it up the hole first. 

Guru101's avatarGuru101

Quote: Originally posted by BobP on Oct 3, 2007

The simple truth is they LIED !!!  They said the drawings could not be tampered with. Here is the very proof the draw can be tampered with !!!  The lottery can change the result to avoid a problem draw by selecting U or R.  Let's say they have a huge sale of 911 on 9/11 they can choose to avoid a repeating digit coming up for that draw. Why would such an option be in there? What other draw changing options are in there?  They got caught !!!  

BobP

Why would such an option be in there?

You need to understand that these "options" are in the source code, not the user interface. It's not like there's an button or checkbox to apply these options whenever the lottery feels like it. The lottery only has access to the compiled executable. Of course, there are ways to manipulate a program's operation even without access to the source code, but it's not exactly something the average Joe can do. I just wanted to point that out.

AceKicka's avatarAceKicka

Quote: Originally posted by BobP on Oct 3, 2007

The simple truth is they LIED !!!  They said the drawings could not be tampered with. Here is the very proof the draw can be tampered with !!!  The lottery can change the result to avoid a problem draw by selecting U or R.  Let's say they have a huge sale of 911 on 9/11 they can choose to avoid a repeating digit coming up for that draw. Why would such an option be in there? What other draw changing options are in there?  They got caught !!!  

BobP

I agree with BobP and all the above. I guess they didn't think far enough ahead to come up with an excuse that actually made sense. This is BULL and they know it! This is the problem with virtually anything that's programmed - what's the point of the programmer developing something that's random??

Why aren't the multi-million dollar games computer generated?? DON'T EVEN TRY IT!!

Legislators, keep up the fight. You must get to the bottom of this SCAM!  And to all the other states  that try to pull the same thing -- BEWARE. We're on your case as well. DO NOT take us for fools!!  We know how to fight back.  We won't put up with being taken advantage of any longer!

We spend enough of our hard earned money playing these games.  All we're looking for is a fair chance and a level playing field. Don't you think that the odds are in your favor as it is?? Players, hold tight and don't give in!! WE WILL WIN!!!!!!

BOYCOTT!  BOYCOTT!!  BOYCOTT!!! 

jarasan's avatarjarasan

Quote: Originally posted by AceKicka on Oct 3, 2007

I agree with BobP and all the above. I guess they didn't think far enough ahead to come up with an excuse that actually made sense. This is BULL and they know it! This is the problem with virtually anything that's programmed - what's the point of the programmer developing something that's random??

Why aren't the multi-million dollar games computer generated?? DON'T EVEN TRY IT!!

Legislators, keep up the fight. You must get to the bottom of this SCAM!  And to all the other states  that try to pull the same thing -- BEWARE. We're on your case as well. DO NOT take us for fools!!  We know how to fight back.  We won't put up with being taken advantage of any longer!

We spend enough of our hard earned money playing these games.  All we're looking for is a fair chance and a level playing field. Don't you think that the odds are in your favor as it is?? Players, hold tight and don't give in!! WE WILL WIN!!!!!!

BOYCOTT!  BOYCOTT!!  BOYCOTT!!! 

I Agree!  Power to the people!

LckyLary

AGAIN, they obviously didn't have ME writing the program for them, then all this could have been avoided!

When they get it together over there maybe I'll write a prg. for the new TN games. Maybe.

LET ME 'SPLAIN something in case it hasn't been.. in my program if it is doing RNG on a Pick3/4 game, it picks each digit without regard to the previous. But in a JACKPOT type game, since you can't generate a drawing with 2 of the same balls in a normal draw machine, the RNG has to simulate this by "flagging off" used digits. The programmer forgot to put the IF/THEN section or they didn't tell it that Pick3/4 should use "R" (repeat allowed). This reveals that the SAME algorithm is drawing digit and jackpot games, so you could potentially watch digit games to try to predict jackpot games!!!!!!!! It would look something like this in C#:

N=R.Next(matrixSize)
//where R is a random #.
//where matrixSize would be 10 for Pick3/4 or a higher # for Jackpot games.

Afterward it uses a boolean array the same size as the matrix and when a number is used its corresponding boolean flag is set. If R's boolean flag is set then it would loop back to the R.Next statement. Except for Pick3/4 games! In Pick3/4 games this array would be ignored but apparently they forgot to put that in!

NOTE!: Being the R could be generated from a white noise source, the exact timing of the operator pushing the Draw button in the program interface would ultimately determine the result, i.e. even if you had this entire program you wouldn't be able to determine future drawings but it might give you a very slight advantage (of course this is assuming NORMAL operation; in the case of the TN drawings a clever programmer would have noted that doubles were blocked!)

GASMETERGUY

     I certainly don't hold myself out as being a programming expert.  I use only Visual Basic and VBA.  If there is someone out there who is an expert, I have a question that I would like answered.

     Is there a computer language and uses "u" and "r" as a reserved word?  If there is, I am not aware of its existence.  These letters might be a variable within a compiled language but, if so, they are subject to being manipulated via the keyboard or within the body of the program.

    If these two letters can be set according to whim, then there is nothing fair about Tennessee's lottory.  I wonder if other states, using the same company, have the same option with these two letters?  If so, then their drawing isn't fair either.

lottoscorp

...A similar situation happened in Connecticut back around 1987-89. The Ctlottery was running their  drawings on superstitious days or dates and got caught in a terrible fix. It was a Friday the 13th in May of that year and the number was "513" and lotto players from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and of course Connecticut played "513" and as a result...The Connecticut Lottery had to borrow $80 + Million Dollars from Chase Manhattan Bank to payoff on "513".

That wasn't the bad part. The bad part was what the director of that lottery quoted in the Hartford Current Newspaper. In frustration the lottery director stated: THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN...

That told me then that there would be changes (internally) to the system. Tennesee seems to have made a worse mistake. They took their story public and now run the risk of destroying the whole trust factor for the online systems not only for Tennesee but, the res of the country.

They have the software programs to allow you to win or lose but, still I do not see that as a total threat just yet. Keep your eye on GTECH CORP & Scientific Games Corp.

However, for those of you who have the power lotto busting programs...Generated drawings should not be a problem.

 

lottoscorp-NY$ Bat

lotterybraker's avatarlotterybraker

You Know..I was just reading this article for the first time and a thought hit me..I was thinking maybe a small group could actually file a lawsuit against the Tennessee Lottery because of the vote...The Citizens of Tennessee voted the lottery in through a vote correct?..That gives the power to the people..they changed the draws without the PUBLICS PERMISSION therefore they violated the law it seems to me..the public voted it in so they should have the say so..not the state gov..they are just in charge to make sure it is run properly which they have failed to do...

JADELottery's avatarJADELottery

Quote: Originally posted by lotterybraker on Oct 3, 2007

You Know..I was just reading this article for the first time and a thought hit me..I was thinking maybe a small group could actually file a lawsuit against the Tennessee Lottery because of the vote...The Citizens of Tennessee voted the lottery in through a vote correct?..That gives the power to the people..they changed the draws without the PUBLICS PERMISSION therefore they violated the law it seems to me..the public voted it in so they should have the say so..not the state gov..they are just in charge to make sure it is run properly which they have failed to do...

Why think small... how about something big like Class Action?

LosingJeff's avatarLosingJeff

Welcome to Indiana folks!! Isnt it great!

time*treat's avatartime*treat

Quote: Originally posted by tnlotto1 on Oct 3, 2007

i was happy when i heard there would be an audit i thought we could get some straight answers but now i see there is no checks and balances with the tennessee lottery they can keep cheating the players in this state if the players keep playing. you are right toad and kymystikal the boycott of this lottery must continue

Lottery officials previously said KPMG

would be paid about $90,000...

Thinking of...

Oh, there'll be a check alright.

computerhead723's avatarcomputerhead723

what   makes    you   think  it  was  a  glitch  ....for  90,000  dollars  I  will  say   what  ever   you   wanted ...or   partners  in   crime   the  two  covering  each  others   back??/

tntea's avatartntea

I work in a lottery store for TN.  Believe me , not all the people know the information/news about this glitch.  Nor do they even know that TN has changed the way they get the results.  I cannot warn them because it will hurt sales.  My friend, the boss, would lose profits.  I want to yell... DONT PLAY until things change back.  I have written my complaints to TN lottery.  Of course no word back...

 

DONT PLAY...

time*treat's avatartime*treat

Quote: Originally posted by tntea on Oct 4, 2007

I work in a lottery store for TN.  Believe me , not all the people know the information/news about this glitch.  Nor do they even know that TN has changed the way they get the results.  I cannot warn them because it will hurt sales.  My friend, the boss, would lose profits.  I want to yell... DONT PLAY until things change back.  I have written my complaints to TN lottery.  Of course no word back...

 

DONT PLAY...

If the average person's only contact with the lottery is through the sales clerks, then it creates a direct conflict of interest for the clerks to say anything that might dampen the players' enthusiasm about the games.&

lottoscorp

Quote: Originally posted by time*treat on Oct 4, 2007

If the average person's only contact with the lottery is through the sales clerks, then it creates a direct conflict of interest for the clerks to say anything that might dampen the players' enthusiasm about the games.&

Ms Tntea, what if you were to send that same text to local televivon stations and media including some of the local advocates...Do you thing that might expand interests to people in Tennesee? This is extremely serious.

 

lottoscorp-NY$ Bat

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by konane on Oct 3, 2007

Dead skunk in the middle of the road smelling to high heaven!!!  

sad>>>>>>SKUNK^

smell's to > "heaven"

thank's to (ALL) our "SHUNK's" in the SENATE.......ET ta (senior)

Let's GIVE-UP^

(let's lay DOWN & MAKE^ your 20 million moattage)

on YOUR cottage much>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>EASIER!!!!!!!!!!

FORCLOSE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>on ALL U ??????????

wonderfull^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^VOTE>>>>DEMORACATE& R-2^^

T00^^^^^^^^^^^^!!!!!

LckyLary

Quote: Originally posted by GASMETERGUY on Oct 3, 2007

     I certainly don't hold myself out as being a programming expert.  I use only Visual Basic and VBA.  If there is someone out there who is an expert, I have a question that I would like answered.

     Is there a computer language and uses "u" and "r" as a reserved word?  If there is, I am not aware of its existence.  These letters might be a variable within a compiled language but, if so, they are subject to being manipulated via the keyboard or within the body of the program.

    If these two letters can be set according to whim, then there is nothing fair about Tennessee's lottory.  I wonder if other states, using the same company, have the same option with these two letters?  If so, then their drawing isn't fair either.

Variables in a programming language can be any (program-legal) name you like. The letters U and R in this case were NOT variables, but one-character STRINGs contained in one variable which would be used to control whether or not to "flag off as used" numbers already picked. When you have a program pick with an RNG, there is the chance to repeat numbers, so in a Pick3 or 4 game that's OK but not in Jackpot games. The programmer apparently had the control variable set to equal "U" (unique) for the Pick 3/4 games and the code saw "U" when it checked the variable and wrongly flagged off digits as used and thus prevented repeats i.e. doubles/triples and thus such tickets had no chance to win.* This program code was written BEFORE any of the drawings happened but maybe they rushed the programmer and failed to notice it had this flaw. There should be no need to have to remember to tell it Unique or Replace during drawings any more than needing to tell it the range (matrix) every time (could you imagine drawings like "00-04-05-05-07-09"?) I'd think that the program is simply told "Draw the Pick 3" or "Draw for Lotto 6" and it's smart enough to know how high the numbers go and whether the game is drawn from one bin ("Unique") or 3 or 4 bins ("Replace"). My program is well aware of what game it's picking!

*In Pennsylvania's MATCH6 game, there are prizes for matching 10 numbers even though only 6 are drawn. This REQUIRES the 2nd and 3rd lines to have some repeats to get 7 or more matches but I've gotten several tickets where some of those prize levels are mathematically impossible to win! Yet I am the only one so far to notice this.

For now, on the TN games, if you play them, if certain #s show up often or are due on the 3/4 then you might want to use the same #s for Jackpot games, as the same code is used for everything.

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