The first recorded signs of a lottery are keno slips from the Chinese Han dynasty between 205 and 187 BC. These lotteries are believed to have … See more

Notable prizes on different continents are:
Australia
The first lottery in Australia took place in the 1880s in Sydney. It was a private sweepstakes that … See more

Lotteries, like any form of gambling, are susceptible to fraud, despite the high degree of scrutiny claimed by the organizers. Numerous See more

The first recorded lotteries to offer tickets for sale with prizes in the form of money were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. Various … See more

France, 1539–1836
King Francis I of France discovered the lotteries during his campaigns in Italy and decided to organize such a lottery in his kingdom to help the state finances. The first French lottery, the Loterie Royale, was held in 1539 and … See more

The purchase of lottery tickets cannot be accounted for by decision models based on expected value maximization. The reason is that lottery … See more

Winnings (in the U.S.) are not necessarily paid out in a lump sum, contrary to the expectation of many lottery participants. In certain countries, … See more