https://ohioaflcio.com/ – Whether you like to play numbers games, lottery scratch cards or instant tickets, the official lottery has something for everyone. Players can buy their tickets from retail outlets, online or through the official app. The app allows them to view their favorite games, save wagers and scan their tickets for winners.
The history of the US lottery dates back to 1745, when the Massachusetts Bay Colony first authorized a state-run lotteries. They became widespread in the colonies and spread to the United States, though strong Protestant proscriptions against gambling helped tame their growth.
As American governments grew short of revenue, they turned to gambling. The colonial lottery financed everything from civil defense to the construction of churches. Eventually, they were a mainstay of America’s 13 colonies, which used them to finance everything from colleges and universities to civil war.
But while some people believed that the lottery was good for society, others argued that it was bad. The latter was particularly true for devout Protestants, who regarded government-sanctioned gambling as morally unjust.
Critics also questioned the ethics of funding public services through gambling. They questioned not just the amount of money that states stood to gain, but whether they would get more out of the lottery than they put in.
In the 1970s, however, advocates began using a new strategy to promote state-run lottery programs. Instead of arguing that they would cover most of a state’s budget, they began claiming that the money would go to a single line item–invariably education, but sometimes elder care or public parks or aid for veterans.