In Laos, where the emerald Mekong River cuts through rugged mountains and verdant plains, the nation nurtures a lottery tradition. The lottery is more than just numbers and symbols; it fuses the mystical aura of animals into its system, creating an intriguing interplay between luck and fortune. This month, the Laos lotto revealed its latest results, stirring a wave of excitement among those who had chosen tickets with animal symbols as their lucky numbers.
Founded in 1836 by Napoleon I, the lottery was meant to fund religious congregations without having to levy taxes. But the money it generated became so great that it soon led to a struggle between the monarchy and the Church for control of the lottery. Eventually, the Church won out, and the lottery remained a source of religious finance until the French revolution.
The current Laos lottery is a state-run organization that oversees national lottery games including TOTO 2 (6/49, 6/42, and 5/35). It also operates local games such as Cilgin Sayisal Loto and Sans Topu. It also offers a variety of digital lottery games, including Loto and Keno. The company also participates in international lotteries such as EuroMillions, Lotto, Powerball, and Set for Life.
A Lao woman who won a $55 million jackpot plans to donate some of her winnings to the family that raised her, and she may return to search for her birth family in Laos as well. The winner, Xia Rattanakone, was born in an orphanage and adopted by an American couple. She says she hopes her win will help people who lost their homes during the civil war. “I would like to tell my relatives that I love them,” she said.
