Lotteries are a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn for prizes. These games are regulated by law in many jurisdictions. They are often conducted by government agencies or private organizations. Some states allow them to be offered through retail outlets, while others regulate online lottery websites and mobile apps. A number of companies produce lottery games and provide software for operators. In addition, some provide services such as ticket printing, distribution, and sales management. In the United States, there are more than 200 lottery-related businesses.
The first modern lotteries began in France in the early 17th century, with public ones for Paris and other municipalities (called Loterie de l’Hôtel de Ville) and private ones for religious orders (called Loterie de la Fête des Fleurs). They were banned for two centuries until after the French Revolution, when they reappeared as legal activities for municipal governments and as charitable enterprises.
In Canada, buying a lottery ticket was illegal until 1967, when the federal Liberal government introduced a special law called an Omnibus Bill to update obsolete laws. That bill included an amendment allowing provincial governments to establish lotteries.
Today, there are four nationwide lotteries in Canada: Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max (which replaced Lotto Super 7 in September 2009), Daily Grand and Millionaire Life. They are administered by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, a consortium of the provinces and territories. Each regional lottery commission, owned by its provincial/territorial government, operates a game and shares profits with the other member regions.
The most recent Powerball jackpot was $1.3 billion, a lump sum payment of $422 million after taxes. The winner, Cheng Saephan of Portland, Oregon, reportedly plans to use the money for his family and to help other people. He said he was an immigrant from Laos and moved to Thailand, where he lived for years, before settling in the U.S. He wore a sash at the news conference that identified him as an Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with roots in southern China, many of whom immigrated from Laos to Thailand and then to the United States following the Vietnam War.
In Vietnam, the state-run Vietlott lottery has two customers sharing the jackpot of VND314.1 billion ($12.4 million). The winning tickets were sold in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Unlike most other games in the US, which use paper tickets, lottery games in Vietnam are played with video lottery terminals. The devices, which look like slot machines, have a touchscreen display and offer a variety of lottery games. The company behind them, GTech Corporation of Rhode Island, handles 70% of worldwide online lottery transactions. The machines are used in more than 40 countries.