The lottery originated in the US early 1700s, with newspaper ads from the colonial era indicating that there were hundreds of lotteries in existence. The first US state to introduce a lottery was New Hampshire, which followed suit in 1964. Now, there are 45 US states and Washington DC, with the Virgin Islands planning to start their own lottery in 2021. Regardless of the state lottery you choose to play, there’s a chance that you’ll strike it rich!
The Maryland Lottery is the third largest source of revenue after corporate and income taxes. Last year, 61.9% of the revenue was used to pay prizes to winners, 7.5% went to retailer commissions, and 3.5% was allocated for operating costs. Approximately twenty-seven percent of the Lottery’s income was deposited into the General Fund of the State Treasury. Funds raised from the lottery help support education, public health, and safety in the state.
Buying lottery tickets online is simple. Download the app or visit the website of the lottery. Once you’ve done this, navigate to the games section of the lottery site or app. Choose as many lottery games as you like, and make sure they’re listed in an organized way. The lottery website or app should clearly state the cost of a ticket, the eligibility criteria to win, and the size of the jackpot. Information on the next drawing should be available.