Watch the Drawings

Beginning on Dec. 19, 2022, the Maryland Lottery’s drawings of Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Bonus Match 5 and Multi-Match will be conducted by a computer system called a random number generator (RNG). We will no longer be conducting drawings using numbered balls and mechanical drawing machines.

The Maryland Lottery is always looking at ways to modernize, and just as digital technology has enhanced many other industries, it has also had a positive impact on lotteries. More than 30 state lotteries in the U.S. already conduct their drawings using RNG systems because they are quicker, more efficient and more cost-effective than mechanical drawings.

Animated videos of the drawings — similar to those used for Keno — will be available at mdlottery.com. The drawings are not televised.

It doesn’t affect players at all. The Lottery still offers the same games with random results, and with the same rules, payouts and drawing times. As always, the winning numbers will be available at mdlottery.com and on the Maryland Lottery mobile app, as well as the Winning Numbers phone line (410-230-8830).

No. The Lottery has decades of experience with RNG systems and knows them to be reliable and secure. An RNG system generates the numbers on countless quick-pick tickets that players purchase every day. Keno and Racetrax results have been drawn by RNG systems since each game started (1993 for Keno and 2006 for Racetrax).

The RNG that will run Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Bonus Match 5 and Multi-Match was built by Smartplay International Lottery Systems, which supplies similar systems to lotteries around the world.

First and foremost, the RNG is a closed system: It is not connected to the internet and can’t be accessed remotely. It is in a secure location that is accessible only by authorized Lottery staff. There is a robust, multi-layered set of security protocols surrounding the RNG system. Some of the security elements include the following:

• There is around-the-clock video surveillance of the room where the RNG system is located.
• Access to the room is controlled by electronic key cards, and two drawing officials with separate key cards must be present in order for anyone to enter the room.
• The cabinet that houses the system is double-locked and cannot be opened by one person alone. Two drawing officials with separate keys must be present in order for anyone to unlock the cabinet and use the system.
• The system is tested and verified by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), a global leader in the gaming industry that specializes in verification of integrity for many lotteries and regulatory agencies that oversee casino gaming. Maryland Lottery and Gaming has worked extensively with GLI for many years.

In addition to tightly controlling the physical security of the room where the system is housed, the Smartplay system, itself, is equipped with stringent security measures to prevent tampering. The drawings are run by hardware and software that is sealed within the Smartplay cabinet. Any attempt to break the seal and directly access these components will disable the system. If the seal is broken, a Smartplay technician must access the system to restore operations.

No. The drawings of those three games are not conducted by the Maryland Lottery, and all three games will continue using balls and drawing machines. Cash4Life drawings are held in New Jersey; Mega Millions drawings are held in Georgia; and Powerball drawings are held in Florida. This change impacts only Maryland’s in-state games, where drawings are conducted by Maryland Lottery staff.