More than Just Gambling - Lotteries have Become a Tradition in Many Countries

When we think of the lottery, most of us immediately think of gambling. That's not wrong, because no matter what kind of lottery it is - luck always comes first. However, that should not hide the fact that the lottery is no longer just about luck and winnings. After all, for many people in the world, the lottery is more important. In some countries, it is even a tradition of great cultural importance and the best example of this is the quiniela in Spain. Other countries consider lotto as a game of chance which Pakistani clerics seem okay with is the price bonds bet like the AK Lasbela.

Nowadays, Lotto is a childhood memory for many: Just 20 to 30 years ago, families regularly handed in their Saturday tickets at the kiosk and cheered together on the day of the news when the draw was held. In the meantime, the gambling world has mainly shifted to the Internet. Is lottery still justified as a traditional form of fun or is it, as malicious tongues claim, simply a tax?

Top Lotteries around the World

EURO MILLIONS - launched February 7, 2004. Lottery that takes place once a week, on Friday evening. Whereas national lotteries are generally limited to the residents of one country, the Euro Millions lottery pools the stakes of the participating European countries.

EUROJACKPOT - a European lottery launched in March 2012.  The goal is to match 5 correct numbers out of 50 plus another 2 supplementary numbers out of another 10; the odds of winning the jackpot are 1:95,344,200. There are 12 tiers of prizes for Eurojackpot. The lottery draw takes place every Friday at 21:00 local time European time.

GERMAN LOTTO - Lotto 6aus49 was launched in 1974 and is Germany's biggest lottery. It  is managed by the Deutscher Lotto-und Totoblock which represents 16 individual lotteries from various regions.

MEGA MILLIONS - American lottery game since 1996 which is offered in 44 states, Mega Millions is one of America's two big jackpot games, and the only one with Match 5 prizes up to $5 million Jackpots start at $40 million and other prizes range from $2 to $1 million, or even more.

POWERBALL - The number one lottery game in the United States since 1992. American lottery game sold in 44 states as a shared jackpot game. It is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association, a non-profit organization formed by an agreement with lotteries. Powerball is a game whose advertised jackpot starts at US$20 million and can roll into the hundreds of millions over many drawings.

SPANISH CHRISTMAS LOTTERY - No lottery in the world can match the hype that El Gordo creates in Spain during the Christmas season. The Spanish Christmas lottery has been around since 1812 and over time it has become a part of the culture. Already weeks before the actual draw, long queues form in front of the kiosks in Spain. In general, there are few Spaniards who are not interested in the lottery - more than 90% of the population participates every year. Due to the high ticket price, however, it is common to share entire tickets with acquaintances, family members or friends. In any case, the winnings are tough, which makes El Gordo the largest lottery in the world.

SUPERENALOTTO - The Italian lottery since 1997 is Europe's biggest-ever lottery prize: Saturday, August 22, 2009 with 147.807.299,08.

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY - since 1994. The Government owned national lottery in the United Kingdom.

Where is the income?

Overall, half of the lottery revenue is distributed as winnings. After the costs of the lottery companies have been deducted, the other half flows into the coffers of the respective federal states or into the coffers of the federal and state governments (Lotto).

Conclusion: As a game, Lotto is quite exciting

Anyone who knows the probability of winning quickly learns that Lotto is not a model for making money. However, there's nothing wrong with a little fun and tradition, which is how box-checking continues to delight players today.