The lottery is a form of gambling that involves drawing numbers to determine the winner or winners of a prize. Some governments outlaw it while others endorse it and regulate its operation. The earliest known lotteries were run by monasteries in medieval Europe, where they were used to fund construction projects and other charitable works. During the 19th century, they became more common in urban areas, and by the 20th century, there were over 100 national and state lotteries in the United States alone. Many countries also have private lotteries.
The first Internet lotteries were launched in the 1990s. The International Lottery Foundation (ILLF) was a pioneer of online gaming, launching the world’s first Internet lotto, PLUS Lotto, in 1995. It processed the first online gaming transaction ever, and its profits support charitable projects and organizations both domestically and internationally.
In Canada, there are four nationwide lotteries operated by provincial and territorial governments: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island), Loto-Quebec (Quebec City), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario) and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut). The Interprovincial Lottery Corporation oversees these provinces and territories. There are also private lotteries in Canada, including the Health Lottery and Canadian Multi-Lotto.
New Zealand has a national lottery called Lotto and operates a range of other games, including the Keno, Bullseye and Instant Kiwi scratch card games. The Government through an autonomous Crown entity, the Lottery Grants Board, distributes lottery proceeds to a wide range of charities and community groups as well as sport and recreation, the arts, and other sectors that benefit from Lotto’s revenue.
Each lottery ticket is valid for one work of art in the Lottery section only. When your name is called during the event, please stand up to select your artwork. If you cannot attend the live auction, you may arrange a proxy in advance with Blue Line Arts. To do so, contact us. All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date.