The lottery is a form of gambling where numbers are drawn to win a prize. Lotteries are regulated by governments and have many benefits, including providing revenue to public services. They also encourage responsible play and help raise awareness of problem gambling. In addition to state-sponsored lotteries, some private companies operate lotteries around the world. They are often known as multi-state games or national lotteries. They offer a variety of games and are based in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

The New Zealand Lottery Commission administers a number of lotteries, including the Powerball, Keno, and Instant Kiwi scratchcard games. The profits from these lotteries are donated to a range of community organizations and charities. The money raised is distributed through the Lottery Grants Board. Lottery winners are not taxed in New Zealand.

There are four nationwide lotteries in Canada operated by provincial/territorial government-owned corporations: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut). In addition to these national lottery games, there are a number of smaller province-only lotteries.

In the United States, state lotteries are controlled by their respective government agencies and operate under strict federal regulations. The federal government also regulates the distribution of funds from the federal Lottery Proceeds Trust Fund, which pays out winnings for Powerball and other nationwide jackpot games. The total amount of funds distributed to date by the Lottery Proceeds Trust Fund is more than $8.5 billion.

Laotian immigrant Cheng Saephan wore a bright blue sash bearing the words “Iu Mien USA” as he held an oversized check representing his lottery winnings. He said he and his wife, Duanpen, will take half the prize money and give the rest to a friend who chipped in $100 to buy tickets with them.

In the Portland, Oregon area, there is a large population of Iu Mien people, who immigrated to the United States through a refugee program in the late 1970s. They have built a strong community that includes a Buddhist temple, a Baptist church, social organizations, and businesses. Saephan’s winnings have brought attention to this community, which has been struggling with high unemployment and poverty. He and his wife will split the Powerball prize of $1.3 billion dollars, or about $422 million after taxes. The amount is the fourth-largest in history. The prize was awarded in early April, and the ticket was purchased at a Plaid Pantry convenience store.