Lotteries are games of chance that award prizes to individuals or groups based on the outcome of a random drawing. Prizes may include cash, goods, services, or other benefits. In the United States, state governments regulate lotteries. In addition, private businesses operate a variety of commercial lottery games and online lotteries.
The first modern national lottery in Europe was created by King Francis I in France in 1505. It was followed by public lotteries for the city of Paris and private ones for religious orders. Lotteries have also been used to raise funds for wars and other public works.
Today, the world has several hundred state-run lotteries. Some have a single game, such as the American Powerball or Mega Millions, while others offer multiple games. The UK is the most prominent example of a multi-game lotto, with the National Lottery offering a range of different prizes, including cars and houses.
In Canada, the provincial and territorial governments oversee four nationwide lotteries operated by Interprovincial Lottery Corporation: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario), and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). Licensed re-sellers such as Netlotto Pty Ltd and Jumbo Interactive sell Australian lottery products online.
In the United States, lottery proceeds are often distributed to education systems. Private lotteries are legal in some states and include instant lottery tickets, keno, and video lotto terminals. In the UK, private companies operate the Health Lottery, which was launched in 2011. In Australia, lottery revenue is a significant source of government funding. In New Zealand, the Lottery Grants Board distributes funds to a number of charities and community organizations, including Sport and Recreation New Zealand, Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission. There are also a number of privately run games, such as the Art Union and Golden Kiwi lotteries.