Historically, the first known signs of a lottery are keno slips that were used in the Chinese Han Dynasty. Then, multistate lotteries started emerging. However, these lotteries had different odds and jackpots.
First recorded signs of a lottery are keno slips from the Chinese Han Dynasty
Various towns held lotteries to raise money for public good works. This method was also used to raise funds for the construction of town walls.
In Roman times, Emperor Augustus organized a lottery to raise funds for repairs of the City of Rome. He also used the lottery to distribute gifts to slaves. During the Saturnalian revels, wealthy noblemen gave out lottery tickets to their guests.
The word lottery in the English language comes from the Dutch word “lot”, which means “fate”. Although lotteries were discarded after the Louisiana Lottery scandal in 1895, people’s interest in gambling has grown over the centuries.
First recorded jackpots
Despite all the hype around the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, the first recorded jackpots in lottery history were smaller in stature. While some states still play the old fashioned lottery game, others have opted for the more modern digital age.
The first ever lotto game was invented in the Italian Republic of Genoa in the late sixteenth century. It was also the first American lottery to offer a computer based game. The most prestigious lottery in the nation was the state lottery of Massachusetts, which awarded the top prize of $10,000 to a lucky winner in 1915.
Scams
Whether you’ve been contacted by an email or phone, there’s a good chance you’ve been targeted by a lottery scam. They’re a great way to steal your identity and your money, so be careful.
Often, lottery scams target the elderly and the lonely. Scammers will contact you and tell you that you’ve won a huge prize. They ask you to provide your name and contact information, and they will ask you to send money to pay for taxes or other fees. They also often threaten you with harm if you stop paying.
The scammer will ask you to use a prepaid debit card to make the payment. While it might sound legitimate, you shouldn’t give your bank information to strangers. If you’ve been contacted by a lottery scam, report it to the FTC.