In the early 19th century, private lotteries were common in the United States, mainly for small prizes like food or clothing. Later, some private lotteries offered a chance to win money or property. Today, most lottery games are operated by state or provincial governments. However, there are also a number of privately run lottery companies that offer games similar to those of the state lotteries. These companies often charge premiums on base lottery prices. Some even charge extra for services such as obtaining tickets or announcing the winning numbers.
A Laotian immigrant who has fought cancer for years will share hundreds of millions of dollars with his friend after winning the Oregon Lottery. Forty-six-year-old Cheng Saephan of Portland, Oregon, will take half the prize and give the other half to his friend, Duanpen, who has been caring for him since he was diagnosed with the disease. The couple will also buy a new house and car.
Lottery officials in the communist country of Laos are rigging the system, manipulating winning numbers to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the Southeast Asian nation tell RFA’s Lao Service. In one example, the winning number for an Oct. 14 drawing showed up as 5 on purchased tickets throughout the day, but the number vanished from the official list shortly before the drawing. Observers say the manipulations are designed to prevent large payouts to people with political connections, or business interests tied to national leaders.
The government-authorized Internet lottery known as PLUS Lotto was launched in 1995 and processed the first online gaming transaction ever. The company has since expanded its offerings to include instant scratchcards, a variety of other online lotto games, and other gambling websites. The lottery’s website supports charitable projects and organizations domestically and internationally. The lottery is overseen by a board of trustees.
In addition to the state-controlled lotteries, the International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation (ILLF) operates several Internet sites that sell online games of chance and a series of mobile phone applications for players to use while on the go. The ILLF is the world’s leading Internet lottery operator, with more than 13 million registered players across its global network of websites.
The winner of the April 4 Powerball lottery in Oregon must come forward to claim the $1.3 billion prize. He or she can opt to receive the prize in 30 annual installments or a single payment. Under state law, winners are required to submit to a security and vetting process before receiving the top prize. The winner is also expected to sign a contract pledging not to reveal his or her identity to the public. That may be difficult, given that the ticket was sold in a Plaid Pantry convenience store and the winner is an ethnic Vietnamese named Phia Luc, a frequent patron of that shop. Most other lottery winners in the US can remain anonymous, but Oregon allows for only a limited number of exceptions.