The Dutch first introduced an official lottery in the 17th century to raise money for poor people and a variety of public purposes. The lottery was a hit and was hailed as a painless taxation method. The Staatsloterij is still the oldest lottery in existence, having been established in 1726. The word lottery comes from the Dutch noun ‘lot’, meaning fate. Today, millions of people play the official lottery.
To play the official lottery, players must live in the state. People who are not residents of the state can purchase tickets through a lottery agent. The agent must be licensed in that state, and can buy a ticket for you. These agents will scan your ticket and send you a copy of it as proof of purchase. The agent will then send you a check for the amount you have won. If your winnings are less than $600, you will receive the money by mail.
Currently, only a handful of states authorize online sales of their state’s lottery tickets. However, this trend is likely to expand as more states look into expanding their reach online. Some states, like Illinois and North Dakota, already allow the sale of lottery tickets online. While most state lotteries do not allow online lottery ticket sales, most do offer some sort of subscription service. This subscription service allows people to purchase tickets for multiple drawings. It costs a bit more than buying tickets at the official lottery site, but is much more convenient than trying to walk in the rain.