All right, since it seems like overall interest in the conversation has waned, this is the last post I'll make on the subject of lottery conspiracies, unless the conversation picks up steam again for some reason. But, I want to make one more point before I call it a day. Or really, make one more attempt at making my core point.
galipeautim wrote:Not sure what the purpose of bringing in a big 4 accounting firm is. Seems like the least likely people to determine if a machine is rigged.
It's strange but, in this case, I feel like it's actually the conspiracy theorists that are demonstrating a lack of imagination. Again, saying 'conspiracy!' or 'money!' or 'corruption!' is easy, but, if you actually sit down and try to think out what the conspiracy would actually have to look like in 2016, you run into obstacles.
So, consider the popcorn popper lotto machine. Not sure off the top of my head who manufactures it now, but one article I read about past lotteries said that they go with a company that makes equipment for state lottos and other high profile lottos. So, again, a large company, with many high profile costumers. (Edit: Smart Play. Kiki Vandeweghe says as much in the video linked to below. "
Smart play manufactures machines for state lotteries across the country, and built the one we'll use here this evening. Smart Play has also weighed, measured, and certified all the ping pong balls that will be used.")
So, how are we rigging this machine? The idea of magnetizing the balls comes up a lot, so let's go with that for starters.
Now, it's not just enough to put magnets in the four balls you want to come up - you actually have to be able to make sure they come up in the correct order. The way I see it, there are two ways to do this. One: have relatively complex apparatus in the machine itself, that can scan for and identify the correct ball, and attract it specifically, probably by activating its own magnets only when the desired ball gets close). In this case, you probably have to magnetize all 14 balls, and then 'fake' all 3 selections, because you really can't afford any chance that a non-desired ball will ever make it into the tube - you really need complete control over every hit. I don't see how that sort of system could be built, completely invisibly, into the
fully transparent device we see on those videos. (If there are any engineers on the forum, I would love to hear your opinions.)
Two: build some sort of electro-magnetic component into the balls themselves, which can be activated in sequence by a little radio transmitter in the pocket of someone backstage. This minimizes the complexity of the element that needs to be in the transparent part of the machine, and puts the complex stuff in the opaque balls. But, unless your solution is
very tiny tech embedded into the skin of the ball itself,
anyone with hands and eyes is going to be able to inspect the ping pong ball and realize it's got stuff in it (thus, the E&Y reps, and anyone else who inspects the balls, will need to be on the roster). (Not to mention that this whole idea is dead in the water if your tech makes the balls bounce differently, or has a risk of getting damaged while bouncing around). And if it is possible that tech could be built into the skin of the ball so as to be undetectable, the conspiracy gets
much larger, because now we have to ask how it is that the lotto machine company has access to or operation of that tech, and nobody has noticed or gotten suspicious, when they're supposed to be building lotto machines for large profile, legit ventures, state lottos etc.
If anyone responds to this, it will probably be to tell me I'm overthinking/overcomplicating it. But that's been my point all along - to rig the lotto in 2016
would be complicated. I don't see any way, with the modern setup, it could be done "with two or three people". I just don't.
If anyone can outline to me a reasonably complete mock up of the conspiracy, that's actually simple, reliable, and only involves a couple of people, I would love to see it.
