Throughout history, people have played lotteries in hopes of winning prizes. Throughout history, people have played lotteries for a variety of reasons. These may include sorting privileges, playing a game where lots are drawn and prizes awarded. Shakespeare wrote about the lottery in both Merchant of Venice and Julius Caesar. Shakespeare once said that every warriour is a soldier of fortune. In fact, the best commanders have a sort of lottery that rewards them for their work.
Early American lotteries
In The Lottery Wars, historian Matthew Sweeney argues that early American lotteries had a mixed history, because they tended to fall short of their objectives. Although colonial lotteries were largely unregulated, they also served as profitable illegal businesses. In many cities, these illegal lotteries were popular with African Americans. In New York, for example, the state-sponsored lottery struggled in its early years because it offered only passive games such as drawing lots, while illegal lotteries were based on choosing numbers and a winning combination.
Dutch Staatsloterij
The Dutch Staatsloterij is the world’s oldest state-owned lottery. It draws winners every tenth of the month between 6 and 9 pm CET. The jackpots have sometimes topped EUR 37 million. The lottery began as a way to raise funds for the poor in the Low Countries. At first, lotteries were considered a tax, but later were hailed as a charitable way to raise money.
English State Lottery
The first English state lottery was drawn on 16 October 1612. Since then, there were one hundred and seventy-eight draw days. In the eighteenth century, the lottery was widely recognized as a source of revenue and a symbol of prosperity. The lottery, however, was not without controversy and was often the target of protests. Often, these protests were motivated by concerns of corruption and ruin. Ultimately, a fiscal policy and moral argument forced the English government to abandon the lottery.
English National Lottery
The English National Lottery was established in 1567 when Queen Elizabeth I issued an advertisement. Queen Elizabeth had been eager to expand the kingdom’s export markets to the rest of Europe, and a national lottery was the perfect way to raise the money necessary for new ships and ports. Tickets cost ten shillings, and the first prize was PS5000 in ready money, plate, tapestries, and good linen cloth. A surveyor was appointed to visit every parish and ensure that no one missed out.
French National Lottery
The French National Lottery is a public company with a fascinating history. It began in 1933, with stakes going to veterans of World War I who had suffered facial injuries or war veterans who needed financial support. Today, it’s one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, and has a monopoly on both instant and draw lotteries. Its end-purpose in 2020 is to help the poor and help France’s struggling economy.