subject: History of the Lotto - Where They Came From and How They Work [print this page] History of the Lotto - Where They Came From and How They Work
The Lottery. You might have one in your state or country. Some would say they are a great way to raise funds for public works and budgets, other remain unconvinced of their value; seeing them as means of legalized gambling or promoting bad or addictive behavior. No matter what you're view, there's no denying that they are extremely popular.
There are some ways to improve your chances of winning the lotto by picking 3 winning numbers or even 4 winning numbers, but your odds of winning a jackpot fall in the 1 out of millions category. Yet this doesn't deter people from playing; sometimes probably more often than they should.
Believe it or not, the existence of the lottery can be traced back to as early as 205 and 187 B.C. During the Han Dynasty - in what is now called China - in the form of keno; more commonly played in casinos and bars today. It is believed that these lotteries actually were used at the time to raise public funds, including helping to build the great wall of China.
You can also find reference to lotteries and lotto's in the ancient texts of the Greeks and Roman Empires. In fact, Augustus Caesar actually held the 1st European lottery to raise money to fund repairs for Rome. But instead of money, winner of the lottery would be given gifts of certain values.
In 1434 the first public lottery on record was held in the Dutch town of Sluis. But it wasn't until decades later that the lottery spread throughout Europe and eventually became widely used as ways to raise funding; in place of taxes, these lotteries were quite popular.
And then we have today, where lotteries still exist and are prevalent on probably every single continent and in numerous countries. While there are ways to improve your odds of winning the lottery, it's best to play for fun, and realize that not everyone will be a jackpot winner. Just remember to put a smile on your face and remember that the money goes to a good place.
Since the 1400's lotteries have spread beyond Europe and made their way to the Americas and throughout Asia as a normal means of raising public funds. Millions of people play the lottery each day and with their immense popularity and ability to generate fast public revenue, they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
