The Chinese Han Dynasty was the first civilization to record lottery slips. These slips, which date from between 205 BC and 187 BC, are thought to have been used to fund major government projects. Chinese Book of Songs mentions the game of chance as “drawing wood” or “drawing lots” and has its roots in that time period. But the first recorded case of lottery is a few thousand years earlier, when the Han Dynasty was still ruling China.
The state lottery of California was founded in 1984 and features a variety of local games. As a charter member of the Multi-State Lottery Association, the California State Lottery has pledged a portion of its revenue to public education. In Colorado, the lottery began selling tickets in 1983 and features a wide range of games, including Powerball and Mega Millions. Proceeds from Colorado’s lottery are used to fund public schools, parks, open space conservation, wildlife habitats, and other programs.
In Illinois, the lottery began selling tickets and subscriptions online in 2012. The online sales program was initially canceled and lawmakers debated whether or not to continue it. However, Illinois lawmakers voted to keep the program, and today customers can buy individual tickets for Powerball, Mega Millions, and Lotto games, as well as subscriptions to the Pick 3 and Pick 4 daily games. In late 2021, the Illinois Lottery also launched online instant win games called Fast Play, which work similar to scratch cards.