Security
The Virginia Lottery conducts its drawings under rigid security procedures. Three officials report to the television
studio where the draw show is held at least two hours before the drawing.
Drawing Security
At the Virginia Lottery, we take gaming seriously, making sure that each and every draw takes place under rigid security procedures. After all, every game should abide by certain rules and standards.
Two hours before each draw, three Lottery officials report to the television studio where the draw show is held and go over a thorough checklist that includes:
- Randomly selecting the ball sets and the draw machines to be used that evening.
- Testing the equipment, conducting pretest drawings and rehearsing the draw with the television crew and the draw show host.
- Ensuring that each individual ball is returned into the correct ball set container.
- Sealing each ball set and recording the number, to be verified when that set is randomly selected in the future.
- Maintaining all draw equipment within a secure room with access limited to only the draw officials.
Take a behind-the-scenes look at how we conduct drawings.
Drawing Documentation
Lottery draw officials document their work for each draw on a drawing master control form. That form details:
- officials and staff present
- equipment used
- pre-test numbers drawn
- official numbers drawn
- time that all bets for the drawing were closed
The specific procedures are available for review upon request. Want to be a draw spectator? If you wish to view a draw in person, just send us an email and tell us when you'd like to watch a draw.