Lotteries are games of chance, in which a person has the chance to win money or prizes, such as cars and houses. They are operated in many countries worldwide. They can be run by state or national governments, private organizations, or public charities. In the United States, large portions of state lottery proceeds are used to fund public education systems. Instant tickets, such as scratch cards, are also popular in some jurisdictions. Keno and video lottery terminals are also popular in some places.
The first lottery was held in France in the 16th century, but was banned for two centuries. It was revived in the 17th century as a public lottery for Paris, and later as a national lottery. Today, the French lottery is one of the world’s most popular, with a prize pool that averages €2.4 billion per year.
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. These are administered by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, a consortium of provincial and territorial lottery commissions owned by their respective governments: Atlantic Lottery Corporation (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), Loto-Quebec (Quebec), Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Ontario), and Western Canada Lottery Corporation (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut). In addition to these national lotteries, there are several private ones operating in Canada.
In Vietnam, the state-run Vietlott lottery has announced that two people will share a jackpot of VND314.1 billion ($12.4 million) following Thursday’s drawing. The winning numbers were 509 and 5. The draw was the second time that the numbers 509 and 5 have appeared in the top-two prizes since last month.
Despite the communist government’s ban on gambling, locals are flocking to the few casinos and online betting sites that operate in the country. Although the authorities don’t monitor these websites, they don’t block access to them either, and they offer competitive odds in all major football competitions.
Officials in the communist nation of Laos are rigging the lottery system to avoid large pay-outs, sources tell RFA’s Lao Service. During the drawing of numbers, winning combinations often disappear from purchased tickets or are changed to less-lucky digits to discourage a big payout. One source says business interests with ties to the ruling elite are behind these manipulations. They are allegedly paying the national lottery company an annual fee to manage the lotteries, but the public is not told how much they pay or who oversees their work. These companies should be banned, the source said. The lottery’s concession should return to the state, he added. “The drawings should be completely supervised by the government.” — Ounkeo Souksavanh, RFA’s Lao Service.