Jul 8, 2024
Customs guards removing 82 cartons of Irish Sweepstakes tickets from the liner America after it arrived at Pier 61, July 8, 1948. Sweepstakes tickets were sold all over the world, but were illegal in the U.S. Nonetheless, many thousands escaped discovery and the U.S. accounted for the majority of the tickets sold. The whole thing was a fraudāthe money was supposed to go to Irish hospitals, but as little as 10% may actually have found its way there.
Photo: Anthony Camerano for the AP
