The Milan, Italy lottery has its random numbers chosen by having a blindfolded child pick 6 balls from a bin. Lottery official used children to portry an image of fairness and innonence. After all, they couldn't bet on the game anyway. According to the media, uncrupulous lottery officials would swap some of the balls, before the drawing, for slightly larger, smoother balls. Of course, their friends would pick these numbers.

For the rest of us who are inclined to play legally, there is no free linch. In a previous article, I have discussed the properties that describe random numbers. The number picking systems used by the major (and fair) lotteries abide by these rules of randomness. Randomness dictates that previous events must have no bearing on future results, and this dooms any lottery system.