For one of my lab classes, I managed to finagle my way into doing a
circuit design analysis of GW's Judge, an 8-light patent-pending
model.
To the best of my ability to analyze (although this may have changed
on newer models), there is a minor (probably insignificant)
advantage to paddles on the ends of the cables furthest from the
Judge; and a significant advantage toward one side (on ours it's the
green side) over the other. That is, if two people buzz in, one on
the red and one on the green side, at the exact same time, the green
side will probably win.