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itpmguru

No Man's Land
United States
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February 19, 2015
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Oct 23, 2015, 7:21 pm
Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Oct 23, 2015
This morning 8 state lottery websites, plus the Powerball and Mega Millions websites, are all offline.

The reason? They are all operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), and I guess one of their servers went offline last night.

It is frankly unbelievable to me that MUSL operates so many state lottery websites (plus two major multi-state lottery sites) and apparently does not have a monitoring service and a 24/7 on-call technician to fix stuff like this when it happens.

Don't get me wrong, every single website in the history of websites has gone offline, including Lottery Post. Even the Web's biggest sites like Google, Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, etc., go offline on occasion. It happens, because technology is never perfect.

For most websites, it's normally a simple matter of rebooting the "hung" server, and in a couple of minutes you're back in business. A technician can usually do this right from home, so it's not a big deal, but it does require someone to be on-call, and it requires a monitoring service to let someone know the website is offline.

So unless there was some kind of major technology problem with no easy fix last night, people do have a right to be upset about this. And I'm sure the 8 state lotteries, which right now are all receiving angry e-mails and calls from their state residents, are not too pleased.

(UPDATE: It is clear that a simple server reboot will not fix whatever the problem is. They must be experiencing a much larger technology problem.)

The important thing is that MUSL fixes whatever organizational and technology issues it has to ensure that when their servers go down, someone is ready to bring them right back up again.

The eight states affected are:
- Arkansas
- Connectuicut
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
Guess MUSL has never heard of server/site redundancy?!?! Guess someone has a LOT of 'splainin to do why it has been out so long. Maybe they had a fire in the D.C., rare, but it can happen.
destinycreation

South Carolina
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July 9, 2005
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Oct 23, 2015, 9:13 pm

MUSL, which manages PB/MM and certain state lotteries, has been hacked !!! They won't tell anyone though !!!
HoLeeKau

Idaho
United States
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July 17, 2010
2,453 Posts
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Oct 23, 2015, 10:10 pm

Idaho's Pick 3 hasn't been updated for the 2 pm draw. Does this site get it from the Idaho Lottery website?
realtorjim

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February 27, 2011
556 Posts
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Oct 23, 2015, 10:28 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Oct 23, 2015
Apparently the problem is not an easy reboot of a server, because the websites are all still offline. Must be a really crazy problem.

To those mentioning other lottery websites that are ONLINE — the problem affects the seven state lotteries plus the Powerball and Mega Millions websites I mentioned in my first post. It does not affect every state lottery, just the state lotteries that apparently outsource their web hosting to MUSL.

What really is up? I mean, even a simple 404 page from another server, but a dead connect? Something is terribly amiss. Unfortunately we will probably never know the real truth.

I'm feeling a $312,000,000.00 jackpot win coming my way!
LottoMetro

Happyland
United States
Member #146,338
September 1, 2013
1,176 Posts
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Oct 23, 2015, 11:37 pm
Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Oct 23, 2015
This morning 8 state lottery websites, plus the Powerball and Mega Millions websites, are all offline.

The reason? They are all operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), and I guess one of their servers went offline last night.

It is frankly unbelievable to me that MUSL operates so many state lottery websites (plus two major multi-state lottery sites) and apparently does not have a monitoring service and a 24/7 on-call technician to fix stuff like this when it happens.

Don't get me wrong, every single website in the history of websites has gone offline, including Lottery Post. Even the Web's biggest sites like Google, Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, etc., go offline on occasion. It happens, because technology is never perfect.

For most websites, it's normally a simple matter of rebooting the "hung" server, and in a couple of minutes you're back in business. A technician can usually do this right from home, so it's not a big deal, but it does require someone to be on-call, and it requires a monitoring service to let someone know the website is offline.

So unless there was some kind of major technology problem with no easy fix last night, people do have a right to be upset about this. And I'm sure the 8 state lotteries, which right now are all receiving angry e-mails and calls from their state residents, are not too pleased.

(UPDATE: It is clear that a simple server reboot will not fix whatever the problem is. They must be experiencing a much larger technology problem.)

The important thing is that MUSL fixes whatever organizational and technology issues it has to ensure that when their servers go down, someone is ready to bring them right back up again.

The eight states affected are:
- Arkansas
- Connectuicut
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
"It is frankly unbelievable to me that MUSL operates so many state lottery websites (plus two major multi-state lottery sites) and apparently does not have a monitoring service and a 24/7 on-call technician to fix stuff like this when it happens."

I believe it, considering they have a pretty small IT team. Anyone who has visited MUSL's website (frontend and lotteries' portal) can see that they don't put a lot of effort into its design. The lotteries' portal is down also, Saturday's jackpot estimates had to be faxed to everyone. The affected lotteries are not happy, I have even seen a few complain on their own Facebook pages

If the chances of winning the jackpot are so slim, why play when the jackpot is so small? Your chances never change, but the potential payoff does.
If a crystal ball showed you the future of the rest of your life, and in that future you will never win a jackpot, would you still play?

P&L % = Total Win($)/Total Wager($) - 1
RedStang

NY
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January 21, 2012
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Oct 24, 2015, 1:10 am

If they couldn't sell tickets it would be fixed in a few hours.
Todd

50

Chief Bottle Washer

New Jersey
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May 31, 2000
27,929 Posts
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Oct 24, 2015, 9:38 am

Quote: Originally posted by destinycreation on Oct 23, 2015
MUSL, which manages PB/MM and certain state lotteries, has been hacked !!! They won't tell anyone though !!!

You know this how?

Check the State Lottery Report Card
What grade did your lottery earn?

Sign the Petition for True Lottery Drawings
Help eliminate computerized drawings!
Raven62

25

New Jersey
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Oct 24, 2015, 10:08 am

Quote: Originally posted by HoLeeKau on Oct 23, 2015
Idaho's Pick 3 hasn't been updated for the 2 pm draw. Does this site get it from the Idaho Lottery website?

Idaho hasn't Twittered the Drawing Results either!

Are the Idaho Lottery Terminals Working? If they are is someone going to get Yesterdays Numbers?

A mind once stretched by a new idea never returns to its original dimensions!

Catch-22: A dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.

Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges: When the republic is at its most corrupt the laws are most numerous.

The best way to learn is to never stop being an Experiential Student!
Ron5995

Wyomissing, PA
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November 15, 2014
481 Posts
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Oct 24, 2015, 10:29 am

Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on Oct 23, 2015
"It is frankly unbelievable to me that MUSL operates so many state lottery websites (plus two major multi-state lottery sites) and apparently does not have a monitoring service and a 24/7 on-call technician to fix stuff like this when it happens."

I believe it, considering they have a pretty small IT team. Anyone who has visited MUSL's website (frontend and lotteries' portal) can see that they don't put a lot of effort into its design. The lotteries' portal is down also, Saturday's jackpot estimates had to be faxed to everyone. The affected lotteries are not happy, I have even seen a few complain on their own Facebook pages

Still down after an entire day. Crazy!

And to think lotteries want us to trust their computer randomizers. Yikes! Those who overly analyze drawings may be more right than I'd thought. While analyzing truly random drawings is an effort in futility, deeply analyzing less-than-random drawings can be a worthwhile effort to catch flaws / take advantage and profit.

There has seemingly been very little press about so many lottery websites being down for over a day. Why hasn't MUSL posted a public notice, put out a press release, etc. Instead nothing. My guess is the outage is related to backdoors / security issues in their computer systems - that would certainly explain the abrupt, extended server outages and lack of any real detail as to what's going on. Does anyone here know more about what's happening...

What I know for sure, is I'm steering clear of Mega Millions and Powerball for the foreseeable future. I'd hate to play in a drawing that's already fixed, as already occurred with Hot Lotto.
LottoMetro

Happyland
United States
Member #146,338
September 1, 2013
1,176 Posts
Offline

Oct 24, 2015, 10:34 am

Quote: Originally posted by destinycreation on Oct 23, 2015
MUSL, which manages PB/MM and certain state lotteries, has been hacked !!! They won't tell anyone though !!!

I've heard that it's an ISP issue, not a MUSL issue. You can have the best server in the world but if it cannot access the WWW then it's useless.

Of course, what I've heard could just be a ruse.

If the chances of winning the jackpot are so slim, why play when the jackpot is so small? Your chances never change, but the potential payoff does.
If a crystal ball showed you the future of the rest of your life, and in that future you will never win a jackpot, would you still play?

P&L % = Total Win($)/Total Wager($) - 1
bainboy

New Providence
Bahamas
Member #98,737
October 13, 2010
467 Posts
Online

Oct 24, 2015, 11:03 am
Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Oct 23, 2015
This morning 8 state lottery websites, plus the Powerball and Mega Millions websites, are all offline.

The reason? They are all operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), and I guess one of their servers went offline last night.

It is frankly unbelievable to me that MUSL operates so many state lottery websites (plus two major multi-state lottery sites) and apparently does not have a monitoring service and a 24/7 on-call technician to fix stuff like this when it happens.

Don't get me wrong, every single website in the history of websites has gone offline, including Lottery Post. Even the Web's biggest sites like Google, Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, etc., go offline on occasion. It happens, because technology is never perfect.

For most websites, it's normally a simple matter of rebooting the "hung" server, and in a couple of minutes you're back in business. A technician can usually do this right from home, so it's not a big deal, but it does require someone to be on-call, and it requires a monitoring service to let someone know the website is offline.

So unless there was some kind of major technology problem with no easy fix last night, people do have a right to be upset about this. And I'm sure the 8 state lotteries, which right now are all receiving angry e-mails and calls from their state residents, are not too pleased.

(UPDATE: It is clear that a simple server reboot will not fix whatever the problem is. They must be experiencing a much larger technology problem.)

The important thing is that MUSL fixes whatever organizational and technology issues it has to ensure that when their servers go down, someone is ready to bring them right back up again.

The eight states affected are:
- Arkansas
- Connectuicut
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
What about Iowa?
Todd

50

Chief Bottle Washer

New Jersey
United States
Member #1
May 31, 2000
27,929 Posts
Online

Oct 24, 2015, 11:27 am

Quote: Originally posted by bainboy on Oct 24, 2015
What about Iowa?

I must have had a brain lock -- I've added it to the list, thanks.

Check the State Lottery Report Card
What grade did your lottery earn?

Sign the Petition for True Lottery Drawings
Help eliminate computerized drawings!
noise-gate

* In hot pursuit of $ *

White Shores- California
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Oct 24, 2015, 1:02 pm

l was and am surprised that our resident Conspiratorial members of LP have not suggested that there is mischief afoot given that the " States that always win" namely NJ,CA,FL,NY have & were not affected by the lottery " Blackout."

Oh the Horror.

* Voice of Reason *

* People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it- George Bernard Shaw.
realtorjim

United States
Member #106,918
February 27, 2011
556 Posts
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Oct 24, 2015, 1:09 pm

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Oct 24, 2015
l was and am surprised that our resident Conspiratorial members of LP have not suggested that there is mischief afoot given that the " States that always win" namely NJ,CA,FL,NY have & were not affected by the lottery " Blackout."

Oh the Horror.

You are not thinking correctly Noise-gate. States down because of the "blackout" are off the grid, therefore unknown to the "live" computer mainframes, hence the active States. Therefore the States not affected are actually the only States that have a possibility to win, i.e. the "States that always win". I hope this clears up the confusion you were experiencing.

I'm feeling a $312,000,000.00 jackpot win coming my way!
noise-gate

* In hot pursuit of $ *

White Shores- California
United States
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December 12, 2012
7,039 Posts
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Oct 24, 2015, 1:24 pm

Quote: Originally posted by realtorjim on Oct 24, 2015
You are not thinking correctly Noise-gate. States down because of the "blackout" are off the grid, therefore unknown to the "live" computer mainframes, hence the active States. Therefore the States not affected are actually the only States that have a possibility to win, i.e. the "States that always win". I hope this clears up the confusion you were experiencing.

Yes it does. You have my Thanks.

* Voice of Reason *

* People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it- George Bernard Shaw.