Lottery online is a type of gambling where players place a wager on the outcome of a lottery drawing. This type of betting is popular worldwide and is available in a variety of forms. In some countries, the lottery is a state-sponsored game of chance that offers prizes to players who buy tickets. In others, the lottery is run by private businesses that purchase a license to offer the game. The legality of lottery games depends on the country’s gambling laws.
In the United States, lottery games are regulated by state governments. Some state-run games are played online, while others are played in brick-and-mortar locations. Some states prohibit the sale of online lottery tickets. Despite the restrictions, many companies are profiting from this lucrative market. A recent study found that some of these sites charge high commissions for their services. These fees can be as much as 15% of the ticket price.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An immigrant from Laos has won a Powerball prize worth $1.3 billion, and he says he will share half of it with a friend. Cheng Saephan, 46, was one of two people to win the jackpot. He said at a news conference that he will take a lump sum payment of about $422 million after taxes. The Oregon Lottery says he bought the winning ticket in early April at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland. The lottery says it will go through a vetting process before revealing his identity.
The winner will use some of the money to help his family, but he also plans to use it to open a restaurant and invest in property. He says he will donate the rest to charity. He wore a sash at the news conference identifying himself as an Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with roots in southern China. Tens of thousands of Iu Mien fled their homeland to escape the Vietnam War and settled in the U.S., especially in the West Coast region.
The New Zealand lottery is a government-controlled entity that operates under the name Lotto New Zealand. Its profits are distributed to community organizations and charities through an autonomous Crown entity called the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board. New Zealand’s Lotto has four games: the Lotto, Keno, Bullseye, and Instant Kiwi scratchcards. New Zealand does not tax lottery winnings.