"jakdedert" wrote in message
...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
Average Joe public does not understand how easy it is to
construct an apparently random ball selector using OCR
or embedded RFID.

In the US, the ball selectors are wholly mechanical -- you can see their
operation through the clear walls. There is no place to hide sensors or
electro-mechanical devices.


While there's no such thing as a 'United States' lottery, many of the
various states have initiated such a contest. Each administers its own
system as it sees fit. I personally am ambiguous about the idea of
government getting into the gambling business. The tickets are sold
mostly in convenience stores, which often takes the 'convenience' out of
them, when you get in line behind someone substituting the State for his
dream trip to Vegas. OTOH, my own daughter is going to college with some
of the funds thus generated.

In Tennessee, the numbers were originally generated by mechanical means,
but last year they went to a system of computer-generation. I expect a
little research would reveal several different systems.

jak

Interesting that they have gone over to a computer system from an
electro-mechanical one. I wonder what the theoretical comparisons of
randomness are between them ? It seems to me that a computer generation
system would be a lot easier to fiddle, with very few people needing to be
'in the know' about it. As far as governments getting involved, I feel a bit
like you on that score. Here in the UK, a fair amount of the takings are
'given away' to good causes. There is no requirement of the type or size or
whatever of the organisation. You just make your application stating what
the money is wanted for, and stating your case for applying as best you can,
and it will be looked at and either accepted, and an amount of money
allocated to you, or rejected. Rejection of a specific application, doesn't
preclude trying again, as many times as you like.

Arfa