Lifestyle

How to play lottery and support your local community

Giving back to your community can be a great way to help out where you are able to, and feel good about your contribution. Whether it is volunteering to help out on a project (such as cleaning up a public green space), starting a new charity to address an unmet need, or donating to an existing cause, every little bit can help make a big difference. It can be difficult though to choose just one cause, especially since there are so many different organisations available that are in desperate need of assistance. That is where charity and society lotteries can help out! For just a small amount, your money can help out a wide selection of altruistic causes. Keep reading to learn how to play lottery games, while supporting your community.

A brief history of lottery

There’s a long history of using lottery games to fund civil and social causes. Some of the earliest lotteries are believed to have taken place in the Chinese Han dynasty where Keno slips were sold and the proceeds were used to help fund the building of the Great Wall of China. Later, the Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar, commissioned lottery ticket sales to the public. All revenue obtained from the tickets went towards community projects such as city repair projects in Rome. The first European lotteries started to become popular in the 15th century in Burgundy and Flanders as a means to raise money to fortify town defenses and to offer aid to the city’s poor populations. From there, the lotto became popular in Italy and in Genoa the basis of the modern lottery was born. When you learn how to play the lottery today, it’s very similar to how it was done in Genoa. 

How to help

There are many different lotteries to choose from: some online, some strictly through in-person ticket sales, some hosted by specific organisations, and there are those that support local causes. How to play lottery games that are right for you really depends on what you are looking to do.

If you are looking to help out your community while having a flutter, then a society lottery is a great place to start. A society lottery raises funds for a non-commercial organisation or organisations whose main goal is raising awareness and money for community projects. These can take several forms, from short-term, or limited draw lotteries, to long standing lotteries, and often each different one will support a different cause. Limited draw lotteries are often just that, they run once or twice, and then are done. These are usually organised if there is a specific need to be fulfilled. Long standing versions will have a specific goal or goals in mind and will have multiple draws over time that will benefit organizations working towards achieving their overall goal, whether it be public health charities, helping the working poor, or any number of public causes.

In the wake of the recent bushfires that have devastated much of Australia, one lotto decided to host a benefit draw in which all proceeds went to organisations that are dedicated to providing relief resources to communities and people impacted by the fires, rural fire services, and groups that assist with the rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation of wildlife impacted. Other long-standing lotteries benefit local health charities, public works projects, local arts organisations, the underprivileged, and more. These games can often take the form of online games such as scratch cards or casino games.

Learning how to play lottery either online or in person could be a fun way to have a quick flutter and help a good cause.

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