Lottery for the Arts is a fundraising event designed to help art enthusiasts acquire artwork by professional and emerging artists while supporting education and outreach programs at Blue Line Arts. In addition to purchasing artwork, participants can also select to win a unique prize or gift. Each ticket includes one lottery spinner and a chance to win an artist-selected work of art. Tickets are sold online and at the gallery. Winners must be present to receive their artwork.
A lottery is a form of gambling wherein participants have the chance to win a prize based on random selection, typically a cash prize. The concept of a lottery dates back to ancient times, when people would place bets on the outcome of an event or occurrence. Today, the lottery is widely used in many countries. In some countries, the government runs state-wide lotteries to raise funds for various projects and public services. In other nations, private organizations run lotteries to benefit local charities and causes. The International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation (ILLF) is an example of a privately-funded lotteries that supports charitable projects and organizations in the United States and abroad.
Before 1967, buying a lottery ticket in Canada was illegal. That year the federal Liberal government introduced an Omnibus Bill to bring the country’s laws up to date. But Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau decided to try something even more daring. For $2.00 a player could purchase a ticket that would allow them to participate in a draw with a grand prize of silver bars—not money—and then answer four questions about the city of Montreal. Drapeau’s “voluntary tax” sparked debates in Ottawa and Quebec City, but the Supreme Court ruled that it did not violate the law because it did not involve a sale or transfer of goods or money.
Today, Canada has four nationwide lotteries: Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Daily Grand and Millionaire Life. The Interprovincial Lottery Corporation oversees the operation of these lotteries, and each of the provinces and territories has its own provincial lottery commission. These commissions include the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario) and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut).
The Laos state lottery is plagued by allegations of corruption, with lottery officials rigging the system in order to avoid large pay-outs. For instance, on Oct. 14 this year, the winning number 509 was spotted only on tickets purchased throughout the day of the drawing—despite the fact that a number had been announced before the drawing. Reported and translated for RFA’s Lao Service by Ounkeo Souksavanh and Bounchanh Mouangkham. Additional reporting by Richard Finney.