Quote: Originally posted by Fwup on February 10, 2004
Mechanical randomizers work by mixing up plastic balls in a container, either by forced air, or the turning of a drum. The starting position of the balls are unknown, and unknowable. The air turbulence or mechanical action of the drum is also unknown and unknowable. And even if all the equipment was never changed, normal wear and tear and maintenance on the equipment would change the coefficient of friction enough from one use to another to make the placement of the plastic balls completely unpredictable.
I don't agree with your above statement. The start positions ARE known, every single draw. Dalls fall into the machine starting with number 1, and ending with the highest numbered ball. Although I will agree, there are small differences from draw to draw, these differences would seem minor compared to the possibilities. Lotteries APPEAR random beacuse of the vast possible amount of outcomes. But if you are to look at the overall picture, why do draws behave the way they do?
Quote: Originally posted by Fwup on February 10, 2004
Plus, lottery officials can surf the web as well as anyone else. If they felt that someone could come up with a system to beat their lottery, they would buy the system and test it out. If it worked, they could easily change their lottery so it wouldn't work.
Hmmm.... I found out recently that the Florida lottery changed the fortmat of the Megaball game. Seems it was chagned to generate more interest, but oddly enough, the change increased the odds too... Funny, isnt it.