The earliest known lotteries were held in the Low Countries during the 17th century. They were held as public fundraisers for poor people and for town fortifications. They proved to be popular and were widely hailed as a convenient method of taxation. In fact, one of the earliest known lotteries, the Staatsloterij in the Netherlands, was founded in 1726. The word lottery comes from a Dutch noun meaning “fate”.
The best lottery sites offer instant access to all lotteries, allowing you to securely select numbers and purchase tickets from anywhere. You can play online or via your smartphone or tablet. The top lottery websites also allow you to play on various devices, making it easier than ever to win big. However, you should keep in mind that the top lottery sites often only offer the most popular lotteries and don’t offer smaller games, which may be played in a specific state.
Besides state-run lotteries, most US states also have an online lottery website. Although the primary utility of these sites is to provide information about winning numbers and locations, some of these websites also offer Instant Games. These games are casino-style games that you can play for real money, both on the web and on mobile apps. If you win the jackpot, you’ll receive a large prize in cash. With a few years of practice, you’ll soon be a lottery millionaire.