Lotteries are games of chance wherein participants try to match a series of numbers or symbols. Historically, they have raised large sums of money for public benefit. In the US, for example, large portions of state lottery revenue are used to fund public education systems. In addition, lottery tickets are sold for charity purposes. Many countries have a legal gambling framework in place, and some have even national lotteries that are operated by government-licensed companies. Other countries prohibit the use of private lotteries, but still have state-controlled and regulated state or provincial lotteries.
The first lottery was organized in Europe in the late 16th century. The idea behind this first lottery was to distribute money and goods amongst the poor by means of a draw. The prize amount increased according to the number of matching numbers. The game was very popular and quickly spread throughout the world. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a variety of different types of lotteries were established. For example, a player could win an automobile for matching all four numbers or a silver bar for answering correctly four questions about the city of Montreal during a second draw.
Today, there are four nationwide Canadian lottery games: the Lotto 6/49, the Lotto Max, the Daily Grand and Millionaire Life. These are administered by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, a consortium of regional lottery commissions owned by their provincial and territorial 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, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut). The federal government does not regulate the Canadian lottery system, but does make exceptions to criminal code laws for certain activities such as buying tickets.
In Laos, all forms of gambling except the state lottery are illegal for locals. However, thousands of tourists flood the few local casinos and the country’s unregulated online betting sector is booming. There are no official bookmakers in Laos, but this has not stopped savvy bettors from accessing international bookies that accept players from the nation.
The winners of the Powerball jackpot were an immigrant couple from Laos and Thailand who had bought tickets together. They are members of the Iu Mien ethnic group, which is found in Vietnam and southern China. Iu Mien people helped American troops during the Vietnam War, and many of them fled to Thailand and then immigrated to the United States. Saephan, who was born in Laos and grew up in Thailand, said at a news conference that the prize money will change his life forever. His wife Chao, who also has a Thai passport, was with him at the news conference. The couple will celebrate with family and friends.