Why are ticket sales stopped an hour or two before each draw?Prev TopicNext Topic

• pickone4me

  

  Wisconsin
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  January 23, 2011
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  Feb 14, 2016, 12:19 pm

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  In response to Candlelight777

  Quote: Originally posted by Candlelight777 on Feb 13, 2016

  I think you said it...long lines at the checkout. I think the cutoff ensures that people won't wait until the last minute to get their tickets...like five minutes before the drawing kind of last minute. I can only imagine the headache that could be created by making the cutoff that close to a drawing.

  That really just sounds like something you'd read off of the lottery FAQ page,  while it makes sense,  but is the lottery taking advantage of the cut off time to know what numbers have and have not been sold ( and who knows what else )  that is the Billion dollar question.

  Redacted
• grwurston

  

  100

  Same #'s. Different games.

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  Member #90,247
  April 24, 2010
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  Feb 14, 2016, 3:37 pm

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  In response to pickone4me

  Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Feb 14, 2016

  That really just sounds like something you'd read off of the lottery FAQ page,  while it makes sense,  but is the lottery taking advantage of the cut off time to know what numbers have and have not been sold ( and who knows what else )  that is the Billion dollar question.

  They don't need the cutoff time to do that.  Have you ever tried to buy a Pick 4 or Pick 3 ticket for a specific number hours before  the drawing and been told it's sold out?  They know way before the drawing what numbers have been played and how many of each.

  
• KY Floyd

  

  NY
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  October 16, 2005
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  Feb 14, 2016, 3:41 pm

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  In response to pickone4me

  Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Feb 14, 2016

  That really just sounds like something you'd read off of the lottery FAQ page,  while it makes sense,  but is the lottery taking advantage of the cut off time to know what numbers have and have not been sold ( and who knows what else )  that is the Billion dollar question.

  For those of you who don't know, the lottery has computers just like the rest of us. If they want to know what combinations have been sold at any particular moment it would be incredibly easy for them to know. That means that knowing what combinations are and aren't in play has nothing to do with it.

  The real reason, as some of you have probably guessed, is that it takes time to stage the fake drawing. After all, it always take at least 30 minutes to move all of the fake moon rocks off of the set before they cam bring in the rigged set of balls.
• GatorShea

  

  Tulsa
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  February 7, 2016
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  Feb 14, 2016, 3:50 pm

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  Even with the computers, it "seems" to take an hour or so before they release the results of the drawing and if there are any jackpot or million dollar winners.  Now, I don't know if that is just part of the show, as that should be information gathered really quickly, or if it is just part of the created drama to appear like this whole thing takes some time.
• Stack47

  

  Kentucky
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  February 14, 2006
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  Feb 14, 2016, 8:29 pm

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  In response to GatorShea

  Quote: Originally posted by GatorShea on Feb 14, 2016

  I didn't see any explanation as to why the sales are cutoff an hour before in my state's rules.  So, I am free to ask as to why people might think that rule exists.  I agree with one of the reasons is to keep people from swarming the stores at the last second.  However, I believe that is not the only reason.

  Why do expect to see an official explanation of a lottery rule when state and federal legislators hardly ever give explanations of the laws they enact?

  As for reasons, it's probably because of time zones. Not all stores in the Eastern Time Zone are open until 11 PM or stay open for a few last minute players. I never asked for an explanation when my employer told me my working hours and I certainly never argued with a store clerk when they told me the drawing deadline had passed.

  I agree you're free to ask for opinions, but do you really think that will change the cut-off times?