Posted on 06/24/2005 5:34:55 PM PDT by Crackingham
Lottery officials admitted today that they knew ticket sales would not cover an advertised $8 million Lotto Texas jackpot this month, saying they used the higher number to keep players interested in the game. The Texas Lottery Commission set an estimated jackpot for the June 8 Lotto Texas drawing even though staff reports estimated sales could only cover $6.5 million, Product Manager Robert Tirloni told commissioners today.
"At the time that we did these estimations, I felt that it was critical for the long-term health of the game for the jackpot to increase if there was no jackpot ticket sold," Tirloni said. "In hindsight, I would have left the jackpot amount at the same amount."
The commission held the estimated jackpot at $8 million for the June 11 drawing — marking the first time in the game's history that a jackpot that hasn't been won hasn't increased. An internal investigation prompted by the shortfall found the same thing had happened twice before, once last October and again in February, Tirloni said.
Reagan Greer, executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, said he signed off on the inflated jackpots that Tirloni and other staffers recommended because he trusted them and didn't look carefully at their reports. Greer said his staff will base future jackpots on their most conservative sales estimates and will consider holding jackpots at the same amount more often if sales don't support an increase.
"I'm going to take a much clearer, more micro approach to this process in the future and try to ensure to you that it's not going to happen again," he told the three commissioners.
Instead of big lies we will not have small lies.
This is fraud. Plain and simple.
Response: No suprise here. After all they are government officials, in America 2005 AD.
I wonder if they have been making any more money by making the lottery far harder to win. It was supposed to increase the prizes, but they still seem low..
I think less people play than they did before they changed it.
I'd start looking for Porsches in the parking lot of the Texas Lottery Commission.
PING!
I say fire them....now!
The guy in charge...has either admitted that he did not do his job and actually look at the numbers before signing off on them...OR....he is just a punk who put the blame on his subs.
Texas lottery is losing money. I guess Texans are catching on and not buying those stupid tickets.
could be an issue.
Seems that top people at government and many companies these days are signing off on #'s without checking them..
Apparently it's so common that this guy can freely admit it and not fear for his job.
This is why government should stay away from gambling and leave it to... the people.
The taxpayers? The winner? Surely not the oh-so honest government employees!
Is it wrong have the growing feeling that various inept or corrupt or treasonous government bureaucrats should simply be sent to forced labor camps? Maybe that's one "cultural import" we can pick up from our new Chinese friends....
The pols in Austin will be deeply saddened to hear that proceeds from the Stupidity Tax seem to be falling off. They'll have to think of some other ways to trick the suckers out of their money.
I think this guy should go to jail.
They played games with numbers on money that is supposed to help fund state govt issues.
Fake but accurate
If the people buy it, some is always selling.
If a private businessman did this, he'd go to prison. A government employee won't even get docked a days pay for it. Terrible!!!
Dumb question:
How can a jackpot NOT increase if no one wins it?
Zero ticket sales for a week?
Like all plans from the mushy headed liberals in Austin, they have to lie to get the masses to go along with it.
You claim you had $8million when you only had $6.5million. Next week when all you have now is $8million, you have no increase (unless you now claim $10million).
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