RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — “Statistically abnormal,” were the words used to describe the results of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority’s Liquor Lottery that occurred in April.
Liquor Lotteries are held whenever the authority receives rare liquors — because of the limited supply, a lottery is held to decide who will get to buy them.
The four-item lottery held from April 19 to April 23 resulted in some entrants winning the right to purchase all four items. Despite the statistical improbability, Virginia ABC says no evidence has been found to indicate foul play.
“Virginia ABC staff conducted the lottery drawing following procedures established and used for previous drawings,” a statement from Virginia ABC reads. “Entrants in each drawing were assigned random numbers to determine the winners. Drawings were witnessed by a member of the authority’s internal audit division.”
An internal audit later found there to be an issue with the sorting of lottery entry data. Virginia ABC claims this issue was responsible for the “statistically abnormal results.”
“As a result of these findings, the authority is adding additional layers of review to the lottery sorting process,” the authority’s statement reads. “Additionally, a new electronic lottery system, hosted in Virginia ABC’s Management of Inventory and Product Sales system, is in the testing phase.”
The results of the lottery will be honored and the products will be sold to the lottery winners.
A look at the numbers
There were four items included in the April Liquor Lottery:
- George T. Stagg Bourbon – 37,485 entries and awarded 770 bottles = 1 in 48.68 chance of winning
- Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye – 35,828 entries and awarded 286 bottles = 1 in 125.27 chance of winning
- William Larue Weller Bourbon – 37,416 entries and awarded 209 bottles = 1 in 179.02 chance of winning
- Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old – 35,492 entries and awarded 48 bottles = 1 in 739.41 chance of winning
According to Virginia ABC, two entrants won all four products, 50 entrants won three products and 229 entrants won two products. There were 978 total winners for a total of 1,313 bottles of product.
