The lottery is a form of gambling that involves drawing numbers for a prize. It is popular in many countries and is regulated by laws that vary by jurisdiction. Lottery prizes are often used to fund public programs. In the United States, lottery profits have been largely directed to education systems. Some private companies offer the lottery in addition to state-regulated agencies.
Online lottery games have become increasingly popular. A few years ago, only a few Internet sites offered lottery games. Now, over 70 percent of global lottery revenues are generated by these websites. In fact, the online lottery industry is booming so rapidly that the number of lottery sites has more than doubled since 2009.
In the past, people were unable to purchase lottery tickets directly from their home computers. However, the advent of the Internet has changed all that. Now, people can buy lottery tickets from their home computers using a variety of software programs. Many of these programs allow players to purchase multiple entries and track their winnings. Some programs even give players the option of purchasing a single ticket or entering a lottery draw for free.
The most popular online lottery games are Powerball and Mega Millions. Both of these lotteries have multi-billion dollar jackpot prizes. However, the odds of winning are considerably lower than those of traditional lotteries.
Some of the largest lotteries are run by governments or government-controlled corporations. These include the state-owned Loterias y Apuestas del Estado (Loterias y Apuestas of Spain) and Camelot Group, which operates EuroMillions on a pan-European basis. Many other lotteries are privately operated by private companies under a government license.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Cheng Saephan, the winner of the $1.3 billion Powerball prize in Oregon, has announced he plans to share his winnings with his wife and a friend. He says he’ll also set up a charity. At a news conference, Saephan wore a sash identifying him as an Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group that helped American forces during the Vietnam War and later immigrated to the United States.
He says he and his family are “thrilled, excited and grateful” about their newfound wealth. During his announcement, he was congratulated by members of the Lao community who gathered at the Plaid Pantry convenience store where he purchased the winning tickets. Saephan says he and his wife will each take half of the money and he plans to donate the rest to charities, social organizations and community projects. He and his wife live in the Portland suburb of Milwaukie, where he owns a business. He’s also an active member of his church and is involved in various community groups. The couple has been married for seven years. They have a son and a daughter. VOA’s Mario Ritter Jr. and Claire Rush contributed to this report.