We explain what the lottery is, how it works and what the odds of winning are. In addition, we tell you its origin and its history.
What is the lottery?
The lottery It is a game of betting and chance very popular in the world and can be played in different ways. All, however, They consist of the selection of a series of numbers, which are shown reflected on a ticket that has been purchased by the player. In some cases the player chooses the numbers and in others they are already printed on the ticket, in a random way.
Depending on the game mode, Those tickets that contain totally or partially the figures that are chosen by chance in a public draw are awarded. Normally, the winners get a cash prize.
The term “lottery” appears in different Romance languages (like lotteryin Italian) from the French word lots (“lot” or “plot”), which was used in medieval French to refer to the divisions of a piece of land (generally agricultural) and, by extension, a portion of an economic good.
It was especially used to refer to the distribution of inheritances: when a landowner died, his property was divided (into lots) and distributed among his descendants. From there the word came to be used to refer to inheritance, and then to the act of receiving a lot, that is, of receiving an economic good without effort. In modern French, in fact, lotir It still means “distribute” or “distribute”, and lotissement “subdivision” or “parceling”.
The lottery is a popular pastime for some and a source of hope for many others, as they have faith that one day they will receive a significant prize. However, the chances of winning are usually very low as each player must match a specific set of digits (usually 8 to 15) at random in perfect order to win the grand prize. That is why in many competitions, if a winner is not produced, the money is accumulated for the next draw, which further encourages players to compete.
See also: Luck
Lottery history
There is historical evidence of games similar to the lottery in Antiquity, for example, in imperial China of the Han Dynasty (between 205 and 187 BC), with the name keno. This type of giveaway It was used by the State as a method of collecting income to allocate it to the construction of public works. Similarly, in Ancient Rome, raffles were held during the celebration of Saturnalia (the festivities in honor of the god Saturn) as a way to entertain the crowd.
The lottery reappeared in medieval Europe in the 15th century, as part of the crown strategies of different countries to finance public works. The first draw of which there is a formal record took place in Milan in 1449 and the money raised went to the military campaign against Venice. The authorities of the cities of Utrecht, Ghent and Bruges, in the Netherlands, had similar methods to finance public works, and in 1763 it was introduced in Spain under the control of the crown, in order to obtain funds for hospitals, sponsorships and other pious works.
Paradoxically, given the origin of the word, the lottery did not reach France until 1776, born under the organization of the crown. After the Revolution of 1789 it was assumed by the Consulate, the Directory and the Napoleonic Empire until 1836, when it was abolished.
In the 20th century, the lottery is mostly in private hands and constitutes an important business throughout the world, not only in order to provide budgetary aid to the State, but also profits to its organizers. Even so, Each country has a strong regulatory framework for this type of activities.
Continue with: Taxes
References
- “Lottery” on Wikipedia.
- “What is the lottery, where did it originate and what is the largest in the world?” in La República (Peru).
- “Etymology of Lottery” in the Online Spanish Etymological Dictionary.
