New Computer System Designed to Prevent Cheating at Jai Alai

New computer safeguards have been ordered at Connecticut’s three jai alai frontons after two parimutuel clerks admitted they were able to place their own bets on a game after it started.

Officials who announced the safeguards blamed a computer system “glitch” that allowed the clerks to punch tickets for themselves after the fifth game began at the Milford fronton last May 30.

The clerks, who punched in 10 exotic bets but won nothing, were ordered suspended for seven and 10 performances for violating regulations prohibiting employees from betting while on the job.

“We should not have this problem again,” said Donald Maloney, who oversees the computerized betting system in the licensing and integrity assurance unit of the Division of Special Revenue.

The problem began when the computer system was given two commands almost simultaneously and “didn’t know which to obey,” said John Albertson, an assistant chief in the division’s gambling regulation unit.

“It was a glitch in the system,” he said.

Albertson said just as the computer was ordered to total bets and clear other operations it was carrying out, a division judge pressed a button that ordered the computer to stop taking bets for the fifth game and start taking them for the sixth.

“The clerks noticed their machines still were able to take bets on the fifth game and they punched more than 10 exacta and quinella tickets,” Albertson said.

“It’s possible that it’s happened before but there’s been no evidence,” he said.

After a hearing two clerks were suspended after they admitted punching the tickets for themselves.

Maloney said the new safeguards include a change to ensure that single “stop-betting” command prohibits betting on a game after it begins.

He said the new system was installed and inspected at the Milford fronton last week and will be in place at Hartford Jai Alai next week and at the Bridgeport facility when its season opens in late October.