Is playing the lottery a government manipulated scam or can be trusted they aren't messing around with the lottery balls prior to the draw lol?

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

My uncle said the lottery officials already know all the numbers played through the computer system prior to the balls coming out so that way they manipulate the system not give the jackpot prize until they want to give it to someone once they make enough money off people playing.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

They have no idea and I'm pretty sure they and their families are barred from the lottery.

It's a computer algorithm which interestingly enough, is designed to be an answer to one of the most surprising issues mathematicians and computer scientists are still faced with today: random number generation

Technically, coming up with lottery numbers or winners at 100% random is probably technically impossible.

Computers understand math equations, go ahead, try using algebra to come up with a random number. Then it has to only allow for a winning number a certain percentage of the time. Or better yet, a range of a percentage, otherwise it would be too predictable when the winning ticket will happen and the pot will never grow that big because people will just buy more tickets when they can tell it's about time.

And yes, there are multiple cases of mathematicians winning the lottery by getting funding to buy a ton of tickets and using statistics to try to reverse engineer the algorithm.

And no I don't trust the government with the lottery, they tax the shit out of it. What the government does is theft and equally as disgusting as someone selling a harmful street drug.

[ChiTown33]

No. Can it be? And has it been? Yes. But not sanctioned by the lottery commission. In my home state of Iowa a guy who was an employed programmer (not an actual employee of the lottery commission) hacked the game "Hot Lotto". Which probably led to my state switching to "Lotto America". The guy who hacked it's name was Eddie Tipton. Though it was only really reported that he rigged the 16.5 million dollar jackpot. What wasn't reported was that he's rigged smaller prize winners for a couple years for family and friends before finally being caught when he went for the bigger prize. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years. In prison, but has since had his sentence reduced to 5 years.

Feel free to Google "Eddie Tipton" and read for yourself.

[Daniela1982]

Anything is possible. With today's computers anything can be manipulated in the blink of an eye.

[DryGermanGuy]

Nonsense. There is no influence from anyone and it’s strictly controlled to be like that. I once saw a documentary about the security measures they have to take.
It’s unlike private casinos, where they - of course - ban you for playing too well.
But the lottery or any game of luck is called the „idiot tax“ for a reason.

[NathanDavis]

that's the point of lottery... everyone loses their money, and one wins it...

[handsomelad70]

Supposedly the lottery funds education. If it does, why are the so freakin' many dullards?

[turnpost]

These lotteries help the government. I mean why would they care to regulate this. The government would be more then happy to dupe anyone dumb enough to invest into these lies.