The Official Lottery

An official lottery is run by a government body, and has specific rules and regulations that ensure the fairness of the game for players. In Connecticut, for example, the official lottery is the Connecticut Lottery Corporation. This corporation sells fanfolded tickets that bear a common Pack Number. In addition, Connecticut Lottery retailers are paid a commission for selling tickets to lottery players.

In the 15th century, the first official lottery with money prizes was organized in the Low Countries. Various towns held public lotteries to raise money for the poor and for the construction of fortifications. Some states viewed the lotteries as civic duties, and even built churches and universities with the proceeds of the games. Massachusetts even organized a lottery to help fund a major military expedition against Canada.

The official lottery website allows people to purchase tickets in advance. They can subscribe for a single drawing, a month, or an entire year. Subscriptions let them select numbers ahead of time, and the site automatically checks their tickets to see if the tickets contain the winning numbers. The company will then send the winnings to the subscriber through a check or a form.

Most states offer online lottery play. If you live in a state that does not offer an online lottery, you can find an authorized lottery retailer. You can also check the official lottery website for updates on the next drawing.