Lotteries are a form of gambling where random numbers are drawn for a prize. While some governments ban lotteries, others use national or state-run lotteries for revenue generation. Regulations commonly include age restrictions and vendor licensing. Despite their prevalence in the 19th century, lotteries were largely outlawed in the US, Europe, and elsewhere by the early 20th century until after World War II. The 1960s saw a resurgence as governments sought alternative revenue sources.
1916: Establishment of Australia's First Government Lottery
In 1916, the Australian government established the 'Golden Casket Art Union', the country's first government-run lottery, to raise funds for charities and projects, particularly for veterans of World War One.
1933: Reintroduction of a National Lottery
A national lottery was reintroduced in an unspecified country in 1933.
1933: Regularization of Lotteries in Thailand
Lotteries in Thailand were regularized and placed under the purview of the finance department in 1933, marking a shift towards a more structured and controlled lottery system.
1934: First Modern U.S. Lottery
The first government-sanctioned lottery in the United States was established in Puerto Rico in 1934, marking the beginning of modern lottery operations in the country.
1964: New Hampshire Lottery Launch
Following Puerto Rico's lead, New Hampshire launched its state lottery in 1964, expanding lottery operations within the continental United States.
1967: Kerala State Launches Lottery Department
Following a nationwide ban on private lotteries, the Kerala State Government in India established its own lottery department in 1967, becoming a prominent player in the Indian lottery landscape.
1969: Berjaya Group Launches Lottery Operations in Malaysia
The Berjaya Group introduced the lottery industry in Malaysia in early 1969, marking the beginning of legalized gambling in the country.
1969: Malaysian Government Founds Sports Toto
The Malaysian Government established Sports Toto in 1969 with a focus on commercializing 4-Digits-based games, reflecting the growing interest in legalized gambling.
December 1970: Veikkaus Begins Lottery Ticket Sales
In December 1970, Veikkaus initiated the sale of lottery tickets in Finland, paving the way for the first draw held in January of the following year.
January 3, 1971: First Televised Finnish Lottery Draw
Veikkaus, the Finnish lottery operator, held its first televised draw on January 3, 1971, marking the beginning of a weekly tradition for the lottery in Finland.
1980: Pennsylvania Lottery Scandal
The integrity of the Pennsylvania Lottery was compromised in 1980 when a scandal erupted involving the manipulation of weighted balls in "The Daily Number" game.
1980: Changes to Finnish Lottery Number Selection
Until autumn 1980, the Finnish lottery involved selecting six numbers from 1 to 40. This changed to seven numbers from a larger pool, initially between 1 and 37, and later between 1 and 39.
August 1985: Privatization of Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd
On August 1, 1985, the Malaysian government privatized Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd, selling it to businessman Vincent Tan, who subsequently merged it into his Berjaya Group.
1994: Establishment of the UK National Lottery
The National Lottery, a state-franchised lottery, was established in the United Kingdom in 1994 under the authority of the Gambling Commission (formerly the National Lottery Commission).
2003: Ontario Lottery Game Recall
In 2003, Mohan Srivastava, a statistician, uncovered non-random patterns in the Ontario Lottery's "Tic-Tac-Toe" tickets, prompting the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) to recall the game. This marked the first instance of a game recall by the OLG.
2005: Gambling Act Impacts People's Postcode Lottery Prize Limit
Following the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 in the UK, the People's Postcode Lottery's maximum prize for a single ticket was capped at £500,000, equivalent to 10% of the total draw proceeds.
2007: Sale of George Washington Signed Lottery Ticket
In 2007, a rare lottery ticket featuring George Washington's signature from his unsuccessful Mountain Road Lottery in 1768, was sold for approximately $15,000.
January 3, 2011: Finnish Lottery 40th Anniversary
On January 3, 2011, the Finnish lottery celebrated its 40th anniversary, having conducted 2,126 draws since its inception.
2011: Finnish Lottery Format and Prize Adjustments
The Finnish lottery underwent significant changes in 2011, including adjustments to profit categories. The main win required matching seven numbers, while the smallest win involved three actual numbers plus one additional number, reduced from the previous three.
2012: Record-Breaking Spanish Christmas Lottery Prize Pool
The 2012 Spanish Christmas Lottery reached a potential total prize payout of €2.52 billion (70% of ticket sales) if all tickets had been sold, making it the largest lottery globally based on prize payout. The top prize, El Gordo, amounted to €720 million, distributed among 180 winning tickets.
September 2013: End of Yle TV1 Finnish Lottery Broadcast
After years of broadcasting the Finnish lottery, Yle TV1 ended its coverage in September 2013 due to concerns regarding sponsorship cooperation between Veikkaus and Yle.
October 2013: Finnish Lottery Moves to MTV3
Following the conclusion of its broadcast on Yle TV1, the Finnish lottery draw moved to MTV3 in October 2013, airing after the ten o'clock evening news.
2013: Spanish Christmas Lottery Ticket Reduction
In 2013, the number of €20 tickets available for the Spanish Christmas Lottery was reduced from 180 million to 160 million in response to declining demand. This resulted in a lower maximum potential prize pool of €2.24 billion (70% of ticket sales), with a potential El Gordo of €720 million.
2014: Value of 1737 Florins in USD
In 2014, it was estimated that 1737 florins from the 15th century would be worth approximately US$170,000.
2017: Kerala Lottery Revenue (2017-2018)
During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the state of Kerala in India generated substantial revenue from its lottery, collecting Rs 908 crore in GST and Rs 1,691 crore in state revenue.
2018: Kerala Lottery Revenue (2017-2018)
During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the state of Kerala in India generated substantial revenue from its lottery, collecting Rs 908 crore in GST and Rs 1,691 crore in state revenue.
2018: Ohio's Digital Lottery Initiative
In a pioneering move, Ohio introduced a digital lottery platform in 2018, developed by Linq3, enabling players to participate in lottery games through their smartphones.
January 7, 2020: Largest Single Jackpot in Canadian Lottery History
On January 7, 2020, the Lotto Max drawing resulted in the largest single jackpot in Canadian lottery history, reaching a staggering $70 million.
May 2022: People's Postcode Lottery Featured in Channel 4 Documentary
In May 2022, the People's Postcode Lottery in the UK was featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled "The Welsh Valley That Won the Lottery," which highlighted the story of Rhymney residents who won a significant prize.
November 2022: Record-Breaking Powerball Jackpot
In a historic event in November 2022, the Powerball lottery in the U.S. reached a jackpot of $2 billion, marking the largest lottery prize in the nation's history.
2024: Allwyn Entertainment Takes Over UK National Lottery Operations
In 2024, Allwyn Entertainment Ltd is set to assume the role of operator for the UK National Lottery, taking over from the previous operator, Camelot Group.