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[therapist]

7 seconds...

technically he bought it before 9 so that is bullshit.

 

[Winterfang]

I'm writing a letter to Obama. It's time we bring some democracy to Quebec.

But seriously, given the man his money.

 

[espher]

This is not true, you can pick your own numbers when playing the lottery. as far as this particular story goes, I am not sure if the numbers were his own, or he did a "Quick Pick" (a random set of numbers, generated by the machine.)

That's the thing.

If he picked his numbers -- and has the scan sheet for it -- that's entirely different than if he went with a randomly generated set.

If it was randomly generated, the seed would have differed seven seconds prior, and he would have gotten a completely different set of numbers. This is, of course, contingent on when the seed was set and the numbers were generated.

Those seem like significant details to leave out of the story. :/

 

[Cat Party]

The ticket said what it said. Had he won the May 30 drawing, would he have declined it?

I have no sympathy.

 

[terrisus]

That's the thing.

If he picked his numbers -- and has the scan sheet for it -- that's entirely different than if he went with a randomly generated set.

If it was randomly generated, the seed would have differed seven seconds prior, and he would have gotten a completely different set of numbers.

But that's exactly the same scenario regardless of the times and deadlines involved.

Buying a ticket with automatically generated numbers at 2:47:18 would give different numbers than one with numbers generated at 2:47:25.

So can people now sue that they paid for a ticket intending it to be based off of 2:47:18's seed, but were given one from 2:47:25's instead?

 

[espher]

But that's exactly the same scenario regardless.

Buying a ticket with automatically generated numbers at 2:47:18 would give different numbers than one with numbers generated at 2:47:25.

So can people now sue that they paid for a ticket based off of 2:47:18's seed, but were given one from 2:47:25's instead?

It depends on when the seed is generated, as I said in my edit while you were replying I guess.

If the seed is generated at the time of purchase (so when he locks it in), then I'd say he has a case, because he had a set of winning numbers generated by a random seed during the eligibility window and a ticket purchased during the eligibility window for this draw.

If the seed is generated at any other time (er, I should say, at the time of printing -- since there'd still be a window otherwise), he has no case, because both the ticket and his winning numbers were generated during the eligibility for the following draw, regardless of when the purchase itself was made. Considering that I doubt the number and the rest of the data on the ticket are generated 30s apart... yeah.

imo!

Edit: I don't think it's a very strong case, because he was told the ticket was for the following draw and willingly accepted it, which is probably a factor in why he didn't get a favourable ruling.

 

[NervousXtian]

What doesn't make sense is that the ticket generated for the next drawing.. meaning the system had to have processed it AFTER the cutoff.. doesn't matter if it was submitted.. but the time the system actually made the ticket the system said nope, next drawing too late.

He knew what the ticket said.. he doesn't get to be eligible for 2 drawings. If the ticket says May 30th.. then it's for that drawing. Pretty freaking clear he had no case.

 

[terrisus]

It depends on when the seed is generated, as I said in my edit while you were replying I guess.

If the seed is generated at the time of purchase (so when he locks it in), then I'd say he has a case, because he had a set of winning numbers generated by a random seed during the eligibility window and a ticket purchased during the eligibility window for this draw.

If the seed is generated at any other time (er, I should say, at the time of printing -- since there'd still be a window otherwise), he has no case, because both the ticket and his winning numbers were generated during the eligibility for the following draw, regardless of when the purchase itself was made.

Fair enough.


Response to edit:
As I said before, I don't feel like him accepting it should matter, because what was he going to do otherwise? Throw the ticket away? Turn back time? He was pretty much stuck.

 

[terrisus]

Also, full disclosure: I think lotteries are a joke, and anyone paying for a lottery ticket is basically just making a donation and should assume their money is lost already.


Edit: I'm also now receiving an ad that says "Congratulations! You may already be selected as a $10,000 winner!"
Seems legit >.>

 

[espher]

Fair enough.

Response to edit:
As I said before, I don't feel like him accepting it should matter, because what was he going to do otherwise? Throw the ticket away? Turn back time? He was pretty much stuck.

Get the ticket voided and get a refund if he'd already paid, or just not pay for it if he hadn't.

I've had 6/49 tickets printed 'in error' for me before (someone hit Tag when I didn't want Tag, for example), and they just voided them. (Edit: I've had the sort of reverse of this situation, too, where I want a ticket for the upcoming draw and a future draw, usually as something to throw into a Christmas card, and they print both for the same date. They void the wrong one and reprint it.)

To your other post -- lotteries are basically an idiot tax, which is why I no longer play them (now that I've gotten smarter w/ my financial habits).

 

[Karl2177]

Lottery should have a different coding operation for print time and request time.

 

[MIMIC]

I completely misread the story. Since the ticket clearly said which draw it would be eligible for, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the guy.....especially since he accepted it.

This was just a cruel twist of fate, unfortunately.

 

[frontovik]

Wow, I'd feel devastated if that occurred to me. Poor fellow.

 

[CrankyJay]

Without knowing how their system operates, I can only surmise this guy woildnt have hit those numbers if the delay wasn't in there.

 

[espher]

I completely misread the story. Since the ticket clearly said which draw it would be eligible for, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the guy.....especially since he accepted it.

This was just a cruel twist of fate, unfortunately.

It is. Thinking about this thread some more, it reminded I actually had an uncle get 5 numbers + bonus on the 6/49 one time, but it was a ticket for the next draw (that he had purchased the day of that draw, so not like this scenario). Sometimes the RNG just likes to troll people.

 

[TheStruggler]

Nah, fucking bullshit, he started the process and committed to the numbers before the deadline. Give the man his fucking money.

doesnt matter the ticket needs to be printed which is verification. If i had numbers written down that were winners but didnt have the printed copy by the cutoff does that mean i win? intent is nothing rules are rules.

 

[br3wnor]

The ticket said the next weeks' date on it, the clerk asked the guy if he still wanted the ticket even though it was for the next week, he said he did and accepted it.

There's absolutely no way this guy is entitled to anything. What a stupid case.