Lotteries are a form of gambling in which participants win money or goods by matching numbers sequentially. Lotteries are played worldwide, both online and at land-based venues, with prizes depending on lottery rules and ticket sales volume; often car prizes top this list; smaller jackpots may also be won through matching more numbers, as well as vacation packages and cash awards.
Laos offers a national lottery with multiple games and prize amounts that aim to encourage participation by offering significant payouts when someone correctly sequences numbers. Although legal, there have been concerns that it might serve as a cover for criminal activity.
Last month’s $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot winner was an immigrant from Laos living with cancer named Cheng Saephan from Portland. His plan is to divide it among his wife Duanpen, their friend Laiza Chao (who chipped in $100 for them all to buy tickets) and take out a lump sum payment of $422 Million after taxes are deducted.
Laos national lottery is managed by Insee, a private company. While Insee does not reveal their revenue figures publicly, they have revealed that over 300 million tickets are sold each year and in addition to running Laos’ national lotteries they also operate provincial and regional games.
Laos lotto can be played both online and at licensed lottery retailers. When participating, be sure to carefully inspect your play slip before handing it over; it will serve as proof of purchase and entry into the draw. Furthermore, both official lottery retailers can inform you about previous draws results as well.
Lottery officials in Laos are manipulating winning numbers to limit large pay-outs, according to sources within Southeast Asian nation, according to RFA’s Lao service. Drawings held three times weekly often show numbers that have vanished from purchased tickets or those which may be considered unlucky and unlikely to be chosen as winning ones.
Signing the back of a ticket when purchasing it is essential in claiming prizes. All prizes must be claimed within 180 days from their drawing date; unclaimed prizes will rollover into subsequent drawings until won; winnings will be paid out in local currency of where ticket was bought and non-issued tickets can only be claimed at official Lottery retail outlets where originally purchased (unless they are fraudulent, invalid, misprinted, altered in any way etc).