History of Lotto
History of Lotto and New Zealand Lotto Trivia
Have you always wondered about the story behind the lottery? The NZS.com History of Lotto article contains trivia about the beginnings of lottery in China, its success in the Roman Empire and America and Lotto in New Zealand today.
Where did Lotto begin?
China
The first recording of a lottery draw was between 205 and 187 BC in China, under the Han Dynasty. The ancient keno-like slips that were discovered and determined to be from this period are said to have helped financed major governmental projects such as the Great Wall of China.
Europe
The first known European lottery was for dinner party amusement during the Roman Empire, where guests would receive tickets with randomly selected numbers, and prizes would include items such as fancy dinnerware. The earliest recording of a lottery where tickets were for sale was organised by Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar, where funds were used to support repairs for the City of Rome.
England
The English experimented with raffles and similar games before the 16th century but the first recorded English lottery was in 1566, and was chartered by Queen Elizabeth I. Funds raised went towards public reparations, and prizes included valuable merchandise such as silverware.
America
Lotteries in colonial America played a big part in the financing of many public and private ventures, such as roads, libraries, churches, bridges and even major ivy-league universities such as Princeton, Colombia and Harvard.
Lotteries took a downfall at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where issues arised such as a popular belief that lotteries were a hidden form of tax, where funds were used for military purposes. After several centuries of flourishing state-authorised lotteries, US President Benjamin Harrison banned lottery draws in 1890.
In 1964, the New Hampshire Sweepstakes became the first organization in the United States to run a lottery in the modern era.
New Zealand
The First New Zealand Lotto tickets went on sale on July 22 of 1987. When the first division prize was drawn on August 1, $359,808 was won. The numbers were 4, 8, 16, 29, 32, and 40. The bonus ball was 30.
The lottery in New Zealand
What is the purpose of Lotto in New Zealand?
All profits from the New Zealand Lotteries Commission are passed to the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, who distribute all profits as funding for sport, arts, recreation and community projects. Each stream of funding is managed by a separate committee made up of individuals from the community with specialist skills and knowledge. The primary benefactors of lottery funding in New Zealand are Sport and Recreation and New Zealand, Creative New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission, who combined receive a minimum of 42% of profits from the lottery commission each year. The remaining profits are distributed to regional committees and subcommittees, each with a specific funding focus.
Who has claimed the biggest Lotto win in NZ history?
The biggest Lotto and combinded Powerball winner to date was a New Plymouth family in April 2008 who took home just over $19 million, after a lucky purchase at Pac N Save New Plymouth. The odds of winning this draw was 1 in 38 million.
Where is the luckiest Lotto shop in New Zealand?
Peter Dunkerley's Radius Pharmacy in Hastings, in the North Island is the luckiest lotto shop in the country. The pharmacy has sold 32 first division lotto tickets and 158 second division prizes, and accepts busloads of hopeful ticket buyers every week. The lotto shop even has a ticket mail out service for those who cannot get to the store each week.
Who are the lottery winners and what do they do with their money?
In 2007, the lotteries commission ran a survey of 75 of the past big winners of Lotto (those who had won between $400,000 and $15 million), which determined that the luckiest place to work in for lottery winners was in an office, with 13% of winners doing a standard 9 to 5. Moreover, 9% worked in farming or horticulture, and 5% were truck drivers.
23% of winners went out for dinner or bought a nice bottle of wine as their first purchase, while 19% bought a new car. Many winners pay off mortgages, purchase property or renovate their homes (54%), while other winners choose to pay off debt, travel, and give money to family members. Unusual purchases from some winners include luxury pig-hunting expeditions in the Australian outback and fertility treatments to start a family.
Lotteries offered today in New Zealand
- Lotto is the oldest and most popular lottery game in the country. Lotto results are drawn every Saturday night at 8pm. Upon selecting an initial set of 6 numbers, Lotto players have the option to select a Powerball number (between 1 and 10), which if drawn in addition to the winning numbers, will gain the winner a minimum of an additional $3 million to their jackpot. Four numbers are also drawn as the Lotto Strike draw, offering further winnings if you choose to add Strike numbers to your ticket when you purchase.
- Instant Kiwi is all about a little buzz, where you get an instant thrill from scratching panels to find out if you're a winner, by having certain numbers or symbols repeated on your ticket. There are 12 different games to choose from with tickets from $1, and winnings can range anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands. "Scratchies" can be purchased from Lotto shops and make great gifts for friends and relatives who enjoy a quick thrill.
- Keno was introduced in 1994 as a daily lucky numbers draw, and was subsequently extended to twice a day, seven days a week. Keno results are drawn twice a day, every day at 1pm and 6pm. You can purchase tickets for use several times, and just $1 can win you up to $250,000.
- Big Wednesday launched in 2005 as a mid-week lottery draw giving New Zealanders the chance to win the ultimate lifestyle. The first pool offered $2 million in cash, a Porsche 911, Range Rover Vogue V8, $50,000 worth of luxury travel every year for five years, $250,000 loaded on an American Express Platinum card, Mustang luxury yacht and a $500,000 bach. The biggest Big Wednesday win to date netted a prize worth over $12 million. Big Wednesday results are drawn every Wednesday at approximately 8.20pm.
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