Lotteries are games of chance where numbers are drawn to determine a winner. They are popular in many countries and have a history of contributing to the social fabric of those nations. These games are also often used to help fund public services such as education and health.
In the United States, state governments operate a variety of lotteries. Some use them to raise money for schools, while others raise money for medical research and other charitable causes. In addition, private companies have developed lottery systems and are authorized to sell tickets for them in some jurisdictions.
There are four nationwide lotteries in Canada: the Lotto 6/49, Lotto Max, Daily Grand and Millionaire Life. These are operated by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, a consortium of five regional lottery corporations owned by their provincial/territorial governments: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario), and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Yukon).
Lao officials are rigging the national lottery in an attempt to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the Southeast Asian nation told RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings of the national lottery three times a week often show numbers that disappear from purchased tickets or are deemed unlucky and unlikely to be chosen, according to the sources. The number 509, for example, was displayed only as a 5 on tickets sold throughout the day of Oct. 14’s drawing, but was later changed to 134.
Vietnam’s state-run Vietlott lottery company announced that two customers will share Thursday’s jackpot of VND314.1 billion, or US$12.4 million. The winning tickets were bought in Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the company said.
Despite the fact that gambling is illegal in Laos, thousands of locals storm the few local casinos each year. Some even place bets with international bookmakers, which the authorities do not seem to mind at all. One of the leading online bookmakers, 1xBet, offers a wide range of sports betting options for Laotian players and boasts a 98%+ payout on major football competitions.
The Maryland Lottery encourages responsible play and reminds players that they must be at least 18 years old to participate in the lottery. In addition, the lottery offers Responsible Play Tips and other resources for players. For more information, visit the Maryland Lottery’s Responsible Play page. You can also check your numbers on the Maryland Lottery app, which is available for download on the iTunes Store and Google Play.