VIC: Tatts superdraw interrupted by machine malfunction

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-1999
VIC: Tatts superdraw interrupted by machine malfunction

MELBOURNE, Aug 21 AAP - Tattersall's live $15 million superdraw was interrupted by a ball
machine malfunction tonight - the second such malfunction of a draw machine in a week.

Lance Behan, Tattersall's public affairs manager, said the machine which malfunctioned
after four balls had been drawn was a different machine from that which misfired during the
live OZ Lotto draw, also on Channel 7, on Tuesday night.

"It is an amazing coincidence, but because they are mechanical there is always the risk
that something can occur," he said.

"The machines are serviced regularly and would have been tested before the draw, within 15
minutes of the draw taking place."

Mr Behan said that after the malfunction the back-up machine was immediately brought into
use to draw the remaining balls.

He said the cause of the malfunction was not known at this stage.

"We are probably not going to know until it's investigated on Monday," he said.

During Tuesday's malfunction only one of the numbers was allowed, the first drawn ball,
number 18. The problem was blamed on a faulty sensor.

A backup machine was brought in to complete the draw off-screen.

Tuesday's breakdown was the first time since OZ Lotto was launched almost six years ago
that there had been a problem with the drawing machine and only the third time since Lotto was
introduced in Australia 27 years ago.

AAP sjg/jnb

KEYWORD: TATTS

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