California Lottery officials have announced a special promotion for Daily Derby players after a software error affected lottery ticket machines. 

Daily Derby is one of eight draw games offered by the California Lottery where players select two sets of three numbers: the first numbers representing three horses to finish first, second and third, and the second set represents the winning race time. 

According to a press release, lottery players’ odds of winning were not impacted by the error, but the prize amounts for winning tickets may have been affected “for a subset of players.” 

“The software error affected two specific kinds of California Lottery ticket machines and only under certain circumstances, depending on how a person chose to play and purchase tickets,” lottery officials stated.  “The error only impacted those who used the QuickPick option…[which is for] players who don’t want to choose their own numbers and instead prefer the gaming system selects for them.” 

Those who used the QuickPick option received tickets with numbers only in ascending order, and the software issue also affected the race time number selections in some cases, with numbers only being printed on tickets in ascending order and with no repeating digits. 

Officials released a statement summarizing the software error: 

“Although the odds of winning were not affected, prize payments on winning Daily Derby tickets may have been impacted by the software error.  In California, prize amounts are split among the number of players who won in the same way.  Because the error resulted in a subset of players having access to limited combinations of numbers, more winners were likely produced when these limited combinations turned out to be selected than in cases where the winning numbers matched those from the larger pool of all possible combinations.” 

The error was traced back to a programming mistake by International Game Technology, the state lottery’s gaming partner. 

Upon discovery of the error, the California Lottery worked quickly to correct it within 24 hours, officials said. 

It was also announced by lottery officials that beginning Tuesday, the overall prize pool for Daily Derby will be boosted by $100,000 each day for 12 days, meaning that winners at any prize level will have the opportunity to win bigger prizes than they normally would. 

The added money will remain in the pot until someone wins the top prize, even after the original 12-day promotion, lottery officials added.  The funds will come from International Game Technology and not funds directed towards California public education. 

Preliminary estimates by state lottery business analysts indicate that approximately 20% of Daily Derby wagers were affected by the error, which translates into about four million each year; for context, California Lottery officials say that more popular games like the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots generate hundreds of millions of wagers each year. 

More information about Daily Derby can be found here. 

A convicted felon was arrested for allegedly trafficking a 14-year-old girl who was discovered in Anaheim.

The suspect was identified as Marcus Boyd, 36, of Las Vegas, Nevada, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

On July 9, authorities received information about a 14-year-old girl who was being trafficked for sex. The girl was located in Anaheim and detectives began investigating the alleged trafficking.

Boyd was identified as the suspect and was spotted driving later that day. Officers attempted to pull him over but he refused to yield, leading police on a pursuit.

At one point, Boyd ditched his vehicle and began fleeing on foot. He was eventually located and taken into custody.

On July 11, he was charged with:

• Human trafficking of a minor
• Pandering a minor under 16 years old
• Possession of a silencer
• Evading a police officer
• Resisting and obstructing a police officer

Boyd’s previous convictions were not released. The case was investigated by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF).

“A critical component of the OCHTTF is the OCDA’s Human Exploitation And Trafficking (HEAT) Unit, which targets perpetrators who sexually exploit and traffic women and underage girls for financial gain, including pimps, panderers, and human traffickers,” officials explained.

The lead agencies involved in the task force include the California Highway Patrol, Irvine Police Department, Santa Ana Police Department, Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Orange County Probation Department, Orange County Social Services Agency, The Salvation Army, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Boyd remains in custody and is being held on $1 million bail.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888-373-7888 or call your local law enforcement agency.

The man who was caught on video slapping an autistic boy in Pacoima now faces criminal charges.

Scott Sakajian, a Sun Valley resident, was charged with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Sakajian is accused of slapping Alfredo Morales, 10, after the boy touched the emblem on his Mercedes-Benz sedan on July 1.

Alfredo and his older sister, Claudia Morales, were crossing the street when the incident happened.

Sakajian made an immediate U-turn and followed the siblings to a bus stop. He stepped out, walked over to Alfredo who was sitting on a bench and slapped him.

His sister tried intervening and explained that Alfredo had autism, but the man still struck the boy.

Cell phone video of the confrontation went viral on social media, leaving community members outraged. The family also filed a police report.

Since the incident, Alfredo’s family, who is homeless and lives out of a broken truck, have been surrounded by an outpouring of support, with many saying they resonated with the story.

Along with a successful GoFundMe campaign and fundraising event, the family’s broken truck underwent a complete makeover. The family is staying at a motel temporarily until local housing officials can help them transition into more permanent housing.

The boy’s father, Miguel Morales, recently lost his job at a restaurant and was struggling to make ends meet.

Alfredo and his sister ride the bus daily to make a food and grocery run for the family. They were taking their usual bus route on July 1 when the confrontation happened. 

The Morales family said they are overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of strangers and said they plan to give back in some way to everyone who has helped them. 

The family also has an attorney representing them, Antonio Villegas. Villegas said he became aware of their story after L.A. rapper Swifty Blue sent him the viral video.

“I will do anything in my power to help them,” Villegas told KTLA. “And I don’t mean just by filing some sort of lawsuit, but by getting them resources to turn this tragic situation into something that helps improve their lives.”

Sakajian is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 2, at the San Fernando Valley Courthouse.

If convicted on all charges, he faces up to six months in jail.