Houston United States
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June 24, 2008
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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 about that ?
mid-Ohio United States
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March 24, 2001
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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.
* you don't need to buy every combination, just the winning ones *
Houston United States
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Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Jul 4, 2008
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.
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?
Houston United States
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Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Jul 4, 2008
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.
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. No conspiracy theories....I just always wonder, that's all.
Wandering Aimlessly United States
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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. "
MD United States
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Quote: Originally posted by Mega-ThinkTank on Jul 4, 2008
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 about that ?
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 minutes before the actual draw they do the pre draws and then the live drawing.
Houston United States
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Quote: Originally posted by four4me on Jul 4, 2008
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 minutes before the actual draw they do the pre draws and then the live drawing.
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 with MM then thanks for that info.
Now, as far as the "tak[ing] the drawing on the road..." I've never heard that. Can you explain why would they do that when it's all computerized. If I play my numbers from texas or if a million people play from Texas, the number will reach Georgia (via systematic computerized) in no time. Maybe I'm missing something here but the only thing I can think why they'd take the drawing on the road is due to a glitch in the system or some type of malfunction mechanism of sort.
MD United States
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Quote: Originally posted by Mega-ThinkTank on Jul 5, 2008
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 with MM then thanks for that info.
Now, as far as the "tak[ing] the drawing on the road..." I've never heard that. Can you explain why would they do that when it's all computerized. If I play my numbers from texas or if a million people play from Texas, the number will reach Georgia (via systematic computerized) in no time. Maybe I'm missing something here but the only thing I can think why they'd take the drawing on the road is due to a glitch in the system or some type of malfunction mechanism of sort.
mega millions is a live on air ball drawing. All this information about the draw is here.
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 FOR THE TV STATION THAT CONDUCTS THE DRAWINGS IN GEORGIA HE GAVE THE COMPLETE RUNDOWN ON HOW AND WHEN THEY DRAW THE BALLS.
IF YOU DOUBT THIS CALL THE GEORGIA LOTTERY ASK IF YOU CAN BE A WITNESS FOR A MEGA MILLION DRAWING PACK YOUR BAGS AND HAVE A GO AT IT.
I cant remember the posters name who gave us the rundown that post is still one here somewhere.
BigJohn says. You don't hit the number. The number hits you!!!!
I'm not Big John, I'm Four4me, Big John's a friend.
Kentucky United States
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February 14, 2006
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Quote: Originally posted by Mega-ThinkTank on Jul 4, 2008
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?
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 numbers too.
"That's besides the point though. I want to know why the lottery officials need 14 to 15 minutes to announce the numbers?"
I've watched the live drawings and it takes less than 30 seconds to draw the numbers. I have no idea why it takes a state lottery 15 minutes to post the numbers on their websites, but my best guess would be they are waiting to find out if the jackpot was hit and that could take several minutes.
I've seen the numbers scrolling on the bottom of screen on TV stations that don't show the live drawing at 11:05 PM. Ask your lottery which station shows the live drawing or ask which stations shows the numbers a minute or two after the drawing.
Houston United States
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Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Jul 5, 2008
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 numbers too.
"That's besides the point though. I want to know why the lottery officials need 14 to 15 minutes to announce the numbers?"
I've watched the live drawings and it takes less than 30 seconds to draw the numbers. I have no idea why it takes a state lottery 15 minutes to post the numbers on their websites, but my best guess would be they are waiting to find out if the jackpot was hit and that could take several minutes.
I've seen the numbers scrolling on the bottom of screen on TV stations that don't show the live drawing at 11:05 PM. Ask your lottery which station shows the live drawing or ask which stations shows the numbers a minute or two after the drawing.
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 somewhere that "pre-tests" are done earlier in the day, well before the live drawing. It just a way to get the machine (balls) in "perfect" condition before they do the live draws. Once it's set in "perfect condition" they clear out and wait for the appointed time to conduct the live draws.
I actually thought they take 15 minutes (after the machine are in perfect condition to call the draw) and that's why I was wondering why that long? Now, if they already had the numbers called in less than a minute after 9:45 Central Time or 10:45 Eastern Time, then I have no more argument.
Wandering Aimlessly United States
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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 weighs a fraction of an ounce more, so what? The draw is still random, right? Their answer is that it's to check if a number comes up more than once or twice, but what isn't random about that?