In the heart of Southeast Asia, Laos is a land of mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture and hill tribe settlements. But amidst this tranquil landscape there is a slice of life that pulses rhythmically, a cultural fixture that unites the nation – the national lottery.
The lotto, whose numbers are drawn three times each week, is a government-run operation that is devoid of any connections to underground gambling activities, as the official website explains. Moreover, if there are multiple winners, the first prize would be evenly distributed amongst them, which is a nod to fairness and equality.
But despite its popularity, the lottery is not without its critics. Many have claimed that it is rigged to avoid large payouts, and that lottery officials are selecting winning numbers that are not likely to be chosen by players. In addition, some have said that the number 509 — the winner of this year’s jackpot — appeared only as five on tickets sold throughout the day of the drawing, and that the numbers were not drawn randomly.
In a country where most people live on less than $2 a day, the money from the lottery has made a real difference in people’s lives. Some have been able to buy houses, and others have used the money to send their children to school. In the past, some of the proceeds from the lotto have also gone to support local and international charities.
Some of the most popular games include Lotto, Thunderball, Set for Life and Health Lottery. In addition, there are state lotteries in every Australian state and territory. The United Kingdom has the National Lottery and its subsidiary, the Millennium Lottery. Bulgaria: There are state-owned lotteries run by the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator and National Lottery.
Lottery officials in the communist nation of Laos are rigging the system and manipulating winning numbers in order to avoid large pay-outs, sources in the country tell RFA’s Lao Service. Drawings for the national lottery, which takes place thrice each week, often show numbers that vanish from purchased tickets or are deemed to be unlucky and unlikely to be chosen. The latest drawing, held on Oct. 14 this year, was no exception. In fact, the winning number – 509 — showed up only as five on tickets sold throughout the day after it was feared that a ticket with the number -9, a number associated with the turtle, would be deemed unlucky.
Huong and her husband Manh make a living by selling lottery tickets in the streets of Vientiane. On good days they can sell up to 250 tickets and earn a daily profit of about 11 US-$ each. But it is not easy, and some days they have to work all night. Besides selling lottery tickets, they also have to clean their home and care for their elderly mother. It is the only way they can get by. For the next draw, they will try their luck again.
