Lotteries are games of chance in which numbers are drawn to win a prize. The prizes range from cash to goods and services. They are operated by state governments, municipal governments, or private organizations. In some jurisdictions, lottery games are illegal, while in others they are regulated. Regardless of their legal status, they are popular among gamblers seeking to win large amounts of money. Often, a lottery drawing requires multiple winning tickets in order to win the big jackpot.
In the United States, lottery profits are used to fund public education systems. In addition, many states and localities use the proceeds to support other public services, such as parks and hospitals. Lotteries are also popular in Canada. Canada has a provincial government-operated national lottery, the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, and several regional lotteries that are owned by individual provinces and territories. Currently, there are four nationwide lottery games: Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Daily Grand and Millionaire Life.
A Lao immigrant won a multibillion-dollar lottery jackpot in Oregon last week, and he wants to share hundreds of millions of dollars with his friend. Forty-six-year-old Cheng Saephan spoke at a news conference Monday in Portland wearing a blue sash emblazoned with the words “Iu Mien USA.” He belongs to a southeast Asian ethnic group that has roots in southern China. After the Vietnam War, thousands of Iu Mien fled to Thailand and then settled in the United States.
He told reporters that he had no idea that he was about to become a billionaire. But he did have one regret. “I wish I could have saved my ticket,” he said. “I would have bought 100 tickets.”
The winning ticket was purchased in the city of Ho Chi Minh and was sold in a Hanoi-based shop. The winner, identified as a man in his 40s, will receive a total of VND314.1 billion ($12.4 million).
Lottery is the most common form of gambling. It involves drawing numbers to win a prize, such as money or goods. The earliest recorded lotteries date back to the 16th century and were originally designed to raise funds for religious or charitable purposes. During the 17th century, however, lottery play was forbidden by law until the late 17th century when it was reintroduced. During the 19th century, the popularity of lotteries rose dramatically, and in the early 20th century, they became the main source of public funding in some countries.
New Zealand’s Lottery is run by an autonomous Crown entity, Lotto New Zealand, which is administered by the Lottery Grants Board. The Lottery Grants Board allocates a portion of lottery profits to a number of charities and community organizations. These include Sport and Recreation New Zealand, Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission. In addition, Lotto New Zealand sells lottery products online through two Licensed Lottery Resellers, Netlotto Pty Ltd and Jumbo Interactive. The rest of the profits go to the Lottery Distribution Board, which is responsible for distributing them to a wide variety of other organisations and beneficiaries.