While the earliest recorded lottery games were held in ancient China, we cannot be certain about their exact dates. Chinese Han Dynasty records show that the first lottery tickets were sold in 205 or 187 BC, when the games were thought to have helped fund major government projects. The Chinese Book of Songs also mentions that the game was first known as ‘drawing wood’ or ‘drawing lots’. In these records, the prize money was either florins, or a small amount of money.
Nowadays, lottery-style games are available in almost any location. You can find them in gas stations, grocery stores, and gaming establishments. Many people still prefer playing in-person because they feel more comfortable playing in an actual lottery office and are less afraid of losing their hard earned money. If you’re wondering how to play the lottery in a different way, here are a few things you should know about playing in person:
Canadian lottery games are administered by five regional organizations: Atlantic Lottery Corporation in Atlantic Canada, Loto-Quebec in Quebec, the Ontario and Western Canada Lottery Corporation in Ontario, and the British Columbia Lottery Corporation in British Columbia. These five lottery corporations are also members of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation, which administers flagship games and national games. The five regional lottery organizations have their own distinct prize pools for draw games, scratch cards, and sports betting.