Almost one year ago, three people from Blue Springs, Nebraska, were charged with tampering with keno machines for their own benefit. Jana Fletcher was charged with a Class III felony while Roberts Roberts and Jamie Phipps were charged with manipulating one of the "blower" machines that are used to call numbers for Keno.

It was believed that Fletcher had been manipulating the system since September 2005 and continued to until February 2006. All were accused of withholding the numbered balls when they would be ejected from the machine. Before the next game they would place a "one-spot" bet on the number they withheld. And of course that number would be called in the next game. A one-spot bet offers 3-1 odds so they would make three times the wager.

This past Friday, both Fletcher and Roberts were ordered by a judge to pay $4,000 each in restitutions to the operator of Blue Springs Keno. The amount ordered was higher than what the two had asked to pay in a plea agreement. Phipps is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7th. All three have been convicted of trying to cheat a lottery device and violating Nebraska's Lottery Act.

It seems as though all parties got off very easy compared to their offense. They not only took money from the operator but also those who were there to play the game and win.


- 2008-10-13