The Florida Lottery has generated over $15 billion in prize payouts through rigorous security measures to ensure the integrity and fairness of the games. Revenues from lottery sales have contributed more than $12.5 billion to Florida public education. Strict protocols are followed in secured facilities and during televised drawings to maintain credibility and earn the public's trust, making the Florida Lottery one of the most successful state lotteries in the nation.

1. The Florida Lottery’s track record to date is, indeed, impressive.
More than 14,000 drawings have produced in excess of 57,000 sets of
winning numbers, resulting in more than 420 million winning tickets
and $15.8 billion in total prize payouts. Equally important, the rev-
enue generated since January 12, 1988 has made possible a contribu-
tion of more than $12.5 billion to public education
throughout the state.
Lottery proceeds deposited in the Educational
Enhancement Trust Fund (EEFT) have helped fund
everything from the construction of more than 200
new schools to the awarding of more than 132,000
Bright Futures College Scholarships. The Florida
Legislature also provides Lottery money to each of
the state’s 67 school districts to use according to
local needs, and has appropriated billions of Lottery
dollars to Florida’s post-secondary public education
system.
The lynchpin of the Lottery’s unprecedented effectiveness in rais-
ing revenue largely has been the result of the integrity of the games
and the credibility of the Lottery, the government agency responsible
for the games’ administration, management and marketing.
This 15-year history of success has earned the Florida Lottery a
top ranking among all 39 of the United States’ lotteries. In fact, based
on net income generated, transfers to education as a per-
centage of all revenue, per capita transfers to the state,
and expenses as a percentage of total transfers, the
Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis
and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) has rated the
Florida Lottery first in the nation.
Trust: the Foundation
of the Lottery’s Success
Literally millions of Florida residents and visitors
play LOTTO, FANTASY 5, MEGA MONEY, PLAY 4 and
CASH 3 annually because the games are exciting, suspenseful and just
plain fun. But most important, they play because they trust the
Florida Lottery and have full confidence that every player has a fair,
unbiased and absolutely equal chance to win. The Lottery does not
THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS A PAID PUBLIC SERVICE BY THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
www.flalottery.com
A Model of Security, Credibility and Integrity
The Integrity of the Games is Priority One
BEHIND
THE SCENES
at a FLORIDA
LOTTERY
DRAWING
Lights… Camera… Action! Every evening, Floridians turn on their televisions to watch
the Florida Lottery’s exciting On-line game drawings. Thanks to hours of preparation, a full
range of backup systems and around-the-clock security checks, the drawings are always
seamlessly orchestrated.

2. take its players’ trust lightly. This trust has been cultivated and
nurtured since the Lottery first launched, and it is well-deserved.
The Lottery goes to extraordinary lengths to guarantee that the
drawing process is secure and completely uncompromised. The
drawing machines and ball sets are stored in a secure storage facili-
ty, equipped with motion detectors, which is under 24-hour camera
surveillance. To further bolster security, the facility’s door cannot
be opened unless representatives from both Lottery Security and an
independent certified public accounting firm are present. To
ensure the highest level of professionalism, all Lottery Security
draw managers are state-certified law enforcement agents.
The numbered ball sets and drawing machines to be used for
every televised drawing are selected at random. The ball sets are
inspected carefully to ensure they’re complete. They are weighed
before and after each drawing using scales calibrated and certified
by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
to maintain the security of the random numbers drawing process.
Before each drawing, the machine and ball set to be used undergo a
series of test drawings.
Repeated pre-draw testing to the most exacting standards
ensures that the drawing equipment is functioning properly. If a
machine or set of balls fails to pass the pre-drawing regimen, a
backup machine and set of balls are used, but only after being sub-
jected to the same rigorous testing. As a follow-up, after each
drawing is broadcast live statewide via satellite, the ball sets used
are weighed yet again before Lottery Security and monitoring audi-
tors declare the winning numbers official. As an added precaution,
Lottery Security
agents wear white
cotton gloves at all
times to ensure
human hands never
touch the drawing
balls.
Each 60-sec-
ond nightly drawing
is televised live from
a secure studio in
Tallahassee.
Protected by an 11-
member security
team of drawing
managers, the On-
line games are
painstakingly monitored. In addition to Lottery Security, a special-
ly assigned group of independent auditors from the Lottery’s certi-
fied public accounting firm observe and validate each step of the
drawing process.
This Ballgame is Taken Very Seriously
The sets of balls used for On-line Lottery games are replaced
according to a regular schedule, unless Lottery Security and
independent auditors determine that a ball set no longer meets
specifications and should be retired. The ball sets have a two- to
BEHIND THE SCENES
AT A TELEVISED LIVE
DRAWING:
Above: LOTTO hostess Bridgid Odgers
at the drawing machine.
At left: A last-minute check by the
camera crew.
Below: The countdown to the live
drawing begins.
PHOTOS:RAYSTANYARD

3. three-year life, depending upon frequency of
use. The drawing machines are on a six- to
nine-year replacement schedule.
The Lottery maintains an inventory of
15 drawing machines. Three are on tap for
each drawing. Both the specific machine and
ball set to be used for any given drawing are
randomly selected about an hour and a half prior
to the nightly telecast.
It is worth noting that the Florida Lottery has been
recognized nationally for its state-of-the-art security meas-
ures. While the Lottery’s security measures are
painstaking, they are well worth the effort. The
objective: to ensure game drawings are ran-
dom, and to make the presentation of win-
ning numbers secure.
Taking the Show on the Road
On January 17, 1998, in Miami, the
Florida Lottery conducted its first live drawing
outside its Tallahassee broadcast studio. Since
then, the Lottery has taken drawings for LOTTO,
MEGA MONEY, FANTASY 5, CASH 3 and PLAY 4 on the
road statewide, from Key West to Orlando, and from Destin to
Tallahassee. The most recent on-location live drawing occurred in
Central Florida in February.
These live remote drawings call for two months of intensive
advanced planning and preparation. Secretary David Griffin,
however, said the excitement generated is well worth the added
security precautions required.
“Conducting live drawings around the state brings the ceremony
and excitement of the games to life for audiences,” said Secretary
Griffin. “But more important, using a live local setting showcases the
complexity and effectiveness of the procedures used to protect the
integrity of the games. Live remotes affirm for the viewing audience,
as well as the media, precisely how fair, secure and professionally
administered the games are.”
Security. Credibility. Trust. It is the
foundation upon which the success of the
Florida Lottery rests. Just ask Security
Director Steve Casey, who works with a staff of
35 to help deliver games in which the playing
public can have absolute confidence.
“Integrity is the cornerstone of the Lottery,”
said Casey. “Without integrity and the pub-
lic’s trust, the program would fail.”
The Florida Lottery has invested, and
continues to invest, much time, effort and
expertise into preserving the integrity of the
games, making it among the most successful
initiatives of its kind in the nation.
FLORIDA LOTTERY SECRETARY
DAVID GRIFFIN
SECURITY MEASURES:
Above: Florida Lottery Special
Agents are state-certified law
enforcement officers.
Left: A Scratch-Off ticket under-
goes routine testing as part of
the Lottery’s state-of-the-art
security measures.
Below: FLORIDA LOTTO ball sets
are replaced according to a reg-
ular schedule, and average a
two- to three-year life, depend-
ing upon frequency of use.

4. Watch for the
Florida Lottery’s
Nightly Drawings
FLORIDA LOTTO
Wednesday & Saturday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time
MEGA MONEY
Tuesday & Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time
FANTASY 5
Nightly at 11:15 p.m. Eastern Time
CASH 3 and PLAY 4
Nightly at 7:57 p.m. Eastern Time
www.flalottery.com
And the winner is...
How Do Players Know When They’ve Won?
Who
Audits
the
Lottery?
As mandated by Florida
law, the Florida Lottery is
strictly controlled and
rigorously audited. In fact,
the Lottery enjoys the distinction of being among the most
accountable agencies in Florida state government. Unlike any
other state agency, the Lottery must submit detailed monthly
financial statements to the Governor, Treasurer and the
Legislature, disclosing all Lottery revenues and expenses.
In addition to the Lottery Inspector General's internal auditing
procedures, the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee contracts
with an independent accounting firm to conduct an annual
financial audit, and the State Auditor General may, at any time,
audit any phase of Lottery operations. A comprehensive
security audit must be conducted at least every two years, and
a representative from an independent certified public
accounting firm witnesses each Lottery drawing to verify
procedures and certify the official winning numbers.
Above: A certified public accountant from the Lottery’s
contracted accounting firm takes a count as part of the
pre-drawing procedures.
THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS A PAID PUBLIC SERVICE BY THE FLORIDA LOTTERY
With Scratch-Off games, the excitement is immediate. With the On-line games, in addition to the tele-
vised drawings, official winning numbers are posted on the Lottery website (www.flalottery.com) within 20
to 30 minutes of each drawing. At the same time, the Lottery reports winning numbers to the news desks of
major daily newspapers across the state. News releases are distributed to the media via wire service and the
Internet by 10 a.m. the following morning weekdays, and 11 a.m. weekends, 365 days a year.
When players present winning tickets, even more exhaustive security measures kick in. Forensic valida-
tion of tickets is done every time a big winning ticket is presented. The validation process uses the latest
technology to detect even the most subtle tampering.