Lottery officials in the communist nation of Laos are rigging the game by manipulating winning numbers, sources in the capital Vientiane tell RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings in the national lottery, held three times a week, show that numbers that are deemed unlucky or should not be chosen disappear from tickets purchased by players. In one case, the number 09, which represents the cat in Lao culture, disappeared from winning tickets sold throughout the day of a Oct. 14 drawing, despite many players trying to buy tickets that included the feline number.
The Laos national lottery has been a source of controversy since its inception. It has generated substantial revenues for the country but its executives have manipulated results to avoid paying out large sums, the sources say. During a legislative session last month, a lawmaker warned that the lottery was becoming a corrupt business and called on the government to take action.
During the legislative session, Mr Bounchom said that he had a plan to tackle the problem but he did not reveal it. He noted that the problem was difficult to deal with because it happened online, and that investment is needed to develop a system to trace those involved in illegal gambling operations. He also warned that reducing the number of drawing times and showing them live on television could help prevent some shenanigans.
Private businesses with stakes in the lottery also should not be allowed to have a role, he added. “They should be banned from selling the tickets and they should have to pay the government an annual fee.”
In addition, he said the steering committee will double check the weight of the lottery balls before each draw to make sure they are all the same. In the past, a heavy ball would fall into the hole more quickly than a light one. “I believe there are some things that the steering committee is doing that we are not aware of,” he added.
While a lot of people are looking to win the lottery, others are trying to save money for a down payment on a house or car. And some are even using it to fund their retirement. A North Carolina man, for instance, won the Education Lottery jackpot after his sister had a hunch that there was good fortune ahead. His prize was more than $800,000. He won a Cash 5 ticket at a Jiffy Quik store in Kannapolis. He says he will share his windfall with family and friends. But he is not done dreaming. He plans to use some of his winnings to travel, especially to South Korea, Japan and Vietnam. ”I want to see the world,” he says. “And my brother and sister want to go, too.” He is buying a new car, a Honda Civic. And he will donate some of it to his church. He hopes the rest will help his children.