One of the world’s most played
betting games—because it is endorsed by more state and national governments
than any other game—lottery has existed for hundreds of years, and
perhaps, even before common-era human civilizations emerged. The earliest known
form of the game is believed to have originated in China during the Han Dynasty
between 205 and 187 BC. Comprised of Keno slips, the game was instrumental in
providing financial support to various government projects, most notably the
Great Wall of China. Other predecessors of the game have their roots in Europe:
the Celtic era had the concept of “drawing lots” while Homer’s “Iliad” involved
lots being placed into Agamemnon’s helmet to determine who would fight Hector.
During the peak of the Roman Empire,
lotteries were held at dinner parties, mainly for amusement. It was a common
practice for noblemen at that time to give their guests fancy gifts through a
random drawing of tickets that each guest was assigned with. In the 15th
Century, the first official lottery games (selling of tickets for prizes) were
recorded in the Low Countries (northwest of Europe). In other territories,
lotteries were held to provide better town fortifications and to help the poor.
In Milan, Italy, the game was
used to finance the war against the Republic of Venice. But it was in Genoa
that lottery became more widespread. In France, a portion of state finances was
supplanted by Lotto activities. In England, Queen Elizabeth I chartered an
official lottery as well as raffles and other games of chance.
At the turn of the 20th
Century, lottery dwindled in importance as many governments have banned it.
After the World War II, however, number games started to re-emerge and plenty
of casinos were established. The game has become immensely popular that there
already dozens of lotteries worldwide that are state or nationally supported.
With the advent of the Internet, the game entered another era. Online lottery is now a common feature in online casinos, with a
wide variety of number games made available for punters. Operated through RNG
(random number generator), the game is accessible by virtually every country
where online gambling is not prohibited.
The chances of winning in an online number game
vary widely, but the factor that will make the difference is mainly the count
of numbers involved. Some lotteries may only involve less than 30 numbers while
others may reach a hundred (or even more). Some online casinos produce winners
only when their bet matches all drawn numbers while others give smaller prizes
for some of the winning numbers.
