Lotteries date as far back as the Han Dynasty in China between 205 and 187 BC. It is said that the lotteries were held to fund major projects, such as The Great Wall of China. The Romans held lotteries as leisure at dinner parties, later used to fund repairs in the city of Rome.
Bet you didn’t know these interesting facts about the lottery, here are some facts that will pique your interest a little more.
The word ‘lottery’
The word lottery has origins in various cultures; part of the word comes from the Dutch word for fate, ‘lot’. The term ‘lotto’ was first used in Italy in the year 1449, from the Milan lottery in Milan.
Roman ex-communication
Although initially the Vatican city head, Pope Innocent XI and XII excommunicated those who participated in lotteries, their successor Pope Innocent the XIII finally permitted the hosting of a roman lottery in the year 1732. Since then the city has warmed up to the lottery, mostly for charitable purposes.
Stay in your lane
Sweden has an interesting way of keeping drivers under the speed limit. The ones who maintain the traffic laws, their license plates are entered into a draw. The winnings they receive are raised from fines paid by drivers who have broken the traffic laws.
Here’s your receipt
Taiwan has a similar scheme that has been running since 1951. Whenever a customer purchases something, the receipt doubles as a lottery ticket. Every customer gets one, this is to ensure that the consumers collect their receipts.
Big rollovers
There are over 33 million people in the United States who participate in the lottery, which would translate to average spending of $218 per person. However, since some people don’t participate, the average likely is more than $218.
Nearly $2 billion go unclaimed every year from the lottery, despite the high number of participants in the American continents.
It is common to go on a spending spree after winning a jackpot, the average lottery winner buys 4-5 cars after their win. This includes buying cars for relatives or friends. 10% of lottery winners buy more than ten cars.
Can you win the lottery? Of course, the most interesting fact about winning the lottery is that you’ll have a better chance of participating than not participating. You’ll never know if you don’t take part and try your luck.
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