“Witnesses play an active role in ensuring the complete integrity of lottery drawings,” said Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “Our witnesses tell us they enjoy the experience and are always impressed with the careful work that goes into making each drawing fair and secure.”
Witnesses perform different functions on two consecutive evenings, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., each night. Over the two nights, witnesses select the drawing machines and ball sets used for drawings, observe all pre-drawing and post-drawing tests and, on one of the nights, appear on-camera during the live televised drawing show.
Witnesses work with two Pennsylvania Lottery drawing officials, who will directly perform all
drawing tasks, and two independent Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), who will monitor all tasks to ensure that all procedures are properly performed and security standards are met.
Drawings take place at WITF-TV in Harrisburg. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and, if necessary, lodging. Scheduling is usually conducted a month or more in advance.
Visit www.palottery.com and look under “About Us” and “Become a PA Lottery Drawing Show Witness” to find an email address and phone number to learn more about the opportunity.
The 6:59 p.m. drawing show is carried by the following television stations: WJET, Erie; WGAL, Lancaster; WTAJ, Altoona; WNEP, Scranton; WTXF, Philadelphia; and WPXI, Pittsburgh.
The evening drawing includes all PICK games and Cash 5, seven nights a week. It also features the Match 6 Lotto drawing on Mondays and Thursdays.
In addition to watching the drawing show to find out winning numbers, players may visit palottery.com, use the Lottery’s official mobile app or call the toll-free results hotline, 1-877-282-4639. Players should be sure to check every ticket, every time, using a scanner at a Lottery retailer.
The Pennsylvania Lottery began televised drawings in 1977.