The practice of drawing numbers from a hat to allocate property and possessions to people is as old as the history of human society. The Old Testament scriptures instruct Moses to take a census of the people in Israel and then divide the land among them by lot. Lotteries were also popular among the Roman emperors, who held them to distribute free land and slaves. Lotteries were a popular form of entertainment in ancient Rome, and were often a major part of the entertainment for a dinner. The winning team was given the opportunity to pick the best college talent in the draft.
According to the Council of State Governments, in 1997, thirteen states and the District of Columbia started lottery games. However, only one state (Delaware) was directly in charge of running the lottery. The other nine states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, had a separate lottery board. In those nine states, the lottery board had the authority to oversee the game, but the enforcement authority rested with state police and the attorney general’s office. However, some states, such as Florida, Texas, and West Virginia, incorporated lotteries as early as 1890.
Despite the low cost of lottery tickets, these tickets add up over time, and the odds of winning are slim. In fact, it is more likely that you’ll be struck by lightning than to become a billionaire by winning the Mega Millions lottery. And while winning the lottery may sound like a dream come true, the reality is that it could actually be harmful to your health, finances, and quality of life. So, how can you avoid being a victim of lottery gambling?