With Monday night’s Powerball jackpot pushing $2 billion and the lump sum approaching $1 billion, the people who run the lottery have strict procedures to ensure it’s on the up-and-up.
They don’t just dump the balls into the hopper and let them go. There are multiple drawing machines and multiple sets of balls, the number of which is a secret, all kept under lock and key and all chosen randomly each time, says Gretchen Corbin, president of the Georgia Lottery, which conducts the MegaMillions drawings under virtually the same procedures as Powerball. “We weigh them frequently to make sure they are all of the same weight,” and Corbin says, “We are checking our equipment daily, and we also have outside auditors watching our draw team, documenting the befores and the afters.” Corbin also says the balls are handled by people wearing gloves so the oil from the handlers’ fingers doesn’t change the weight.
Corbin tells Northwest Newsradio whether it’s MegaMillions, Powerball or Washington’s Lottery, they take integrity very seriously because that’s the product they sell. Corbin says, “As exciting as this is, and as fascinating as this is to our players…to us…it is our job, it is our responsibility to make sure we get it right.”
If you’re hoping to get those 6 little numbers right, remember it’s been 40 straight draws, or more than 3 months without a winner, so Powerball fever could go on for a while. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 7:59 P.M. with ticket sales cut off at 6:45 P.M. on drawing nights. MegaMillions is drawn Tuesday and Friday evenings at 7:59 with sales cut off at 7:45 P.M. those nights.