Considering all the issues with lottery draws, regardless of whether they're intentional or not, players need to be aware and wager accordingly.
The debate as to whether players were cheated by Tipton is a tricky one. Some would take the position, as you do, the odds were the same, so what's the difference. However, some would argue a potential winner(s) was cheated, since, presumably, the non-rigged result would have been different.
A similar argument many make with pre-tests. Say 777 is drawn in a pre-test, but 534 is chosen in the actual draw. Were some players cheated? Well, it depends on one's viewpoint. Likewise with Hot Lotto. Statistically, you're right, but still some player(s) may have lost out due to a different combination being chosen than would have been otherwise.
Liability limits could come into force in situations that aren't readily obvious even to seasoned players, such as the fortune cookie incident illustrated many years ago.
NY Times: As the cookie crumbles, winners galore in lottery
It's notable the total 2nd tier prize liability of $19.4 million nearly exceeded the reserve of $25 million at the time. If such an incident were to occur today with Powerball or Mega Millions, which have far larger 2nd tier prizes, it would likely exceed liability limits (which are not specifically stated nor publicized) resulting in para-mutual, reduced payouts.
While fortune cookie companies now take additional measures to reduce such incidents, such as using a computer to generate different, mostly unique number sequences, the threat exists from other sources, such as discussion of numbers to play on social media, numbers shown in TV shows, etc.
Point is that even if a player chooses what they believe is a relatively unique combination, there exists a small, but real possibility many others have played it too due to outside factors, as I've mentioned. Liability limits have the potential to affect any player. Admittedly, this is a minor concern in the whole scope of things, but for players who are also largely focused on a 2nd tier PB / MM prize, knowing the exact liability limits would be helpful.
Again, both PB and MM don't publicize the exact numbers making it impossible for a player to make a truly informed decision. I harp on this, because it gets to the issue of transparency. Raises the question of what else is not fully disclosed.
Maybe none of it matters, but then again maybe it does. Before the Tipton rigging saga, few would have thought it possible for an insider to rig so many drawings without being noticed for so long.