Lottery Online
Lotteries are a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn to win a prize. These games are typically run by government-controlled organizations or private companies. Some states and countries have legalized them, while others prohibit them. They can be played by anyone who is at least 18 years old and has a state-issued identification card. There are many different types of lottery games, including instant tickets and keno. In the United States, a large percentage of lottery profits are generated by instant scratch-off tickets and video lottery terminals (or VLTs).
The largest lottery in the world is the Spanish state-controlled Loterias y Apuestas del Estado, which has a jackpot of around EUR2.4 billion. Its top prize is awarded to only one winner, but the total prize pool is divided into a number of smaller prizes. The cheapest ticket costs just €0.10 and the odds of winning are about 1 in 10.
In Europe, national lottery games have become increasingly popular, with several big operators competing to offer the most attractive offers. These include the Dutch Staatsloterij, operated by ING Group, which has a large share of the market with over 40% in 2010. The Italian Lottomatica is the second largest operator with a 25% share, followed by the Greek Vivalotto with around 15%. The Swiss Lottery is a publicly funded lottery, controlled by the state. Its revenues are allocated to social and cultural projects in Switzerland and abroad.
Until 1967 lottery play was illegal in Canada, but that year the federal Liberal government introduced an Omnibus Bill intended to bring up-to-date numerous obsolete laws. Among other things, it allowed provincial governments to legally operate lotteries. Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau responded by creating a “voluntary tax” of $2.00 per ticket, for which players were eligible to win silver bars rather than money in a drawing.
Cheng Saephan, a 46-year-old immigrant from Laos, won the Powerball jackpot this month with a ticket bought at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, Oregon. He will split the $422 million lump sum payment with his wife and a friend. His victory has brought increased attention to the Iu Mien people, a southeast Asian ethnic group that fled from their homelands to Thailand and then the United States after the Vietnam War.
Laos’ lottery is operated by privately owned business interests, including members of the ruling elite. RFA’s source in the capital, Vientiane, says private business interests should not be responsible for managing a national lottery. “It should be 100 percent managed by the government,” he says.