Glossary and Definitions

Below is a clear glossary of important words and their associated definitions needed to understand how the BALLGAME.COM conducts its provably fair Lottery.

Audit / Audited Smart Contract	A smart contract that has been independently reviewed by a security firm to ensure it is safe, transparent, and functions as intended.
Blockchain	A public digital ledger (like a shared notebook) where transactions are recorded permanently. Everyone can see it, and no one can secretly change past records.
Chainlink VRF (Verifiable Random Function)	A trusted third-party service that supplies random numbers to smart contracts, along with cryptographic proof that the numbers were not tampered with.
Checksum	Another word for a file’s digital fingerprint, used to confirm data hasn’t been altered.
CSV File (Comma-Separated Values)	A simple spreadsheet file format where all Lottery ticket entries are stored. It can be opened in Excel or Google Sheets.
CSV Hash (Tickets Checksum)	A “digital fingerprint” of the CSV file, created using SHA-256. If even a single character in the file is changed, the fingerprint changes completely, exposing tampering. BALLGAME.COM publishes this hash before the draw so players can verify entries were not altered afterwards.
HMAC-SHA256	A secure method of expanding the random seed into additional random numbers in a fair and auditable way.
Immutable	Once a smart contract is deployed on the blockchain, it cannot be altered, even by BALLGAME.COM.
Lottery ID	The official number assigned to each draw (e.g., “Draw #86”).
Nonce	A counter that changes with every draw. It ensures that each Lottery draw is unique, even if the Lottery ID is reused.
Provably Fair	A system where anyone can independently check and confirm that the Lottery results were not manipulated.
Random Seed	The starting number (from Chainlink VRF) that is used to generate the winning Lottery numbers. Think of it as the “spark” that starts the random draw.
Server Seed / VRF Random Word	The random number provided by Chainlink VRF and revealed on the blockchain. It’s unpredictable before the draw, but anyone can verify it afterward.
SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit)	A mathematical formula that turns any file into a unique 64-character code (a hash). Even the smallest change in the file results in a completely different code.
Smart Contract	A computer program that runs on the blockchain. It automatically enforces rules (such as “pick Lottery numbers” or “send prize money to the winner”) without human involvement.
Transaction Hash	A unique ID for a blockchain transaction. It acts like a permanent receipt proving that an event (such as requesting randomness) took place. It is not used to generate Lottery numbers but provides a public audit trail. It is critical to note that we do not use the transaction hash to generate the random numbers that are drawn. BALLGAME.COM’s randomness is derived from Chainlink VRF.
Winning Numbers	The final Lottery result: 5 unique numbers (between 1 and 40) 1 Powerball number (between 1 and 20)