#lotttery

Ever wondered what happens to the life of a lottery winner post his/her win? Does the major raise in fortune make him/her happier than ever? A trio of researchers gathered to answer this question in the year 1978 by conducting a research on the psychology of lottery.

The study on the psychology of lotteries states that people are pulled towards buying lottery tickets because they have a difficulty in coming to terms with the fact they can lose.

People are conditioned in a way to think that they can somehow win. The research also throws light on the fact that the desire to play lottery is very likely in people with less resources who are struggling to cope up with a challenging financial life. The likeliness of winning the prize money instills in them a hope to get rid of their condition.

But does winning a lottery actually increase our happiness? The research conducted in the year 1978 shows that winning a lottery does not make people more or less happier than they were before, contrary to the popular belief. With the passing of time, the happiness and excitement of winning the lottery fades out. In this case, the observation of the research is somewhat similar to the law of marginal utility.

The research shows that gradually the lottery winners get in habit of the added benefits made possible by the winning amount and eventually this pleasure ceases to contribute extensively to their happiness levels.

A study on Dutch lottery winners that took place in the year 2008 came up with similar findings. This particular research claims that each individual contains a set point of happiness in life. Some people are set to be generally happy and some are set to be depressed and some belong in between the two states of mind. Whatever may be the reason (like winning a lottery) that might make them extremely happy, with time they will return to their usual point of emotional state. Perhaps a lottery winner can use the newfound wealth in things that influence happiness in life, although winning a lottery in itself does not guarantee a life-long happiness. If you are already happy in life, winning the lottery might not make a lot of difference to you in the long run. Still, the game of lottery does not stop to entice us with the entire thrill that comes its way.

Representatives of each sign of the zodiac have a set of certain qualities. Each sign has its own talisman, its lucky numbers and favorable days of the week. By the sign of the zodiac you can determine which colors suit you more, what metal or stone - "your" and not only.

Aries (21.03-19.04) Element - Fire Planet - Mars Symbol - ram Talisman - hammer, golden fleece Metal - iron, steel Colors - crimson, purple, red, golden yellow Stones - amethyst, heliotrope, diamond, aquamarine, lunar, bloodstone Lucky numbers - 4, 7, 9, 12 Favorable days of the week - Tuesday, Sunday

Taurus (20.04-20.05) Element - Earth Planet - Venus Symbol - ox Talisman - golden calf, owl Metal - copper Colors - white, lemon, green, lilac Stones - agate, diamond, opal, sapphire, turquoise, emerald Lucky numbers - 2, 4, 6 Favorable days of the week - Monday, Friday

Gemini (21.05-20.06) Element - Air Planet - Mercury Symbol - twins, hand, star Talisman - snake, mask Metal - silver, gold, amalgam Colors - sunny-orange, gray-blue, pale yellow, violet Stones - jasper, garnet, rock crystal, beryl, chrysoprase, emerald Lucky numbers - 3, 5, 12, 18 Favorable days of the week - Wednesday, Sunday

Cancer (21.06-22.07) Element - Water Planet - Moon Symbol - cancer, crab, heart Talisman - clover, heart Metal - silver Colors - white, light blue, blue, silver, pale orange Stones - opal, moonstone, crystal Lucky numbers - 2, 4, 5, 8 Favorable days-Monday, Thursday

Leo (23.07-22.08) Element - Fire Planet - Sun Symbol - lion, swan Talisman - a lion, an eagle, a ladybug Metal - gold Colors - gold, purple, scarlet, black, yellow-brown Stones - amber, ruby, diamond, topaz, onyx, chrysolite, esmerald Lucky numbers - 1, 5, 9, 11 Favorable day – Sunday

Virgo (23.08-22.09) Element - Earth Planet - Mercury Symbol - virgin, cube Talisman - grasshopper, aster Metal - tin, copper Colors - white, purple, blue, green, light blue Stones - jasper, jade, carnelian, marble, malachite Lucky numbers - 3, 5, 6, 12, 20, 27 Favorable day - Wednesday

Libra (23.09-22.10) Element - Air Planet - Venus Symbol - scales, book Talisman - heart, book Metal - bronze Colors - dark blue, green, purple, pastel colors, aqua Stones - pearls, opal, crystal, moonstone, lapis lazuli, green jasper Lucky numbers - 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 Favorable days - Friday, Saturday

Scorpio (23.10-21.11.11) Element - Water Planets - Mars and Pluto Symbol - scorpion, eagle, lamp, pyramid, sign of death Talisman - beetle, scorpion, sign of death Metal - iron, steel Colors - blood red, scarlet, crimson, all fiery colors Stones - ruby, coral, aquamarine, beryl, malachite, topaz Lucky numbers - 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21, 100, 666 Favorable day - Tuesday

Sagittarius (22.11-21.12.12) Element - Fire Planet - Jupiter Symbol - centaur-shooter, stars, wands Talisman - salamander, horseshoe Metal - zinc, tin Colors - blue, blue, purple, purple Stones - kurbunkul, turquoise, chrysolite, topaz, amethyst, sapphire Lucky numbers - 3, 4, 9 Favorable day – Thursday

Capricorn (22.12-19.01) Element - Earth Planet - Saturn Symbol - goat, ladder, tower clock Talisman - black cat, devil Metal - lead Colors - black, blue, dark brown, ash gray, all dark tones Stones - turquoise, lapis lazuli, onyx, pomegranate, lapis lazuli Lucky numbers - 3, 5, 7, 8, 14 Favorable days - Tuesday, Saturday

Aquarius (20.01-18.02) Element - Air Planet - Uranus Symbol - Aquarius, wings, flight of birds, zigzag, sage Talisman is the key, the icon Metal - tin Colors - blue-green, ultramarine, violet Stones - pomegranate, zircon, opal, light sapphire, amethyst Lucky numbers - 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13 Favorable days - Wednesday, Saturday

Pisces (19.02-20.03) Element - Water Planet - Neptune Symbol - two fish floating in opposite directions, a shell, a wave Talisman - knot, narcissus Metal - zinc Colors - aqua blue, blue, steel, red-violet, pale purple Stones - sapphire, pearl, emerald, amethyst, moonstone Happy numbers - 6, 7, 11 Favorable days - Monday, Thursday, Friday

After the Second World War, the lottery industry in Europe is quickly restored and successfully developed. Due to intensive growth of the economy, centuries-old lottery traditions and the high density of administrative fragmentation, already, by mid – 1980s, Europe along with the United States was the richest region in the number and diversity of all kinds of lotteries, such as Keno, Bingo, instant lottery and, certainly, the classic numerical lottery which is the most popular and in demand.

In Europe, the largest numerical lotteries rated by the popularity and size of the jackpots are as follows:

·        EuroMillions

·        SuperEnalotto

·        El Gordo

·        La Primitiva

·        U.K. National Lottery

·        Germany Lotto 6/49

·        Austria Lotto 6/45

·        Ireland Lotto

·        France Loto

·        Belgium Lotto

·        Sweden Viking Lotto

·        Eurojackpot

Particular attention should be paid to the lottery EuroMillions, which is in all respects the undisputed leader among European lotteries and inferior to them only for the period of its existence. History of EuroMillions lottery was originally associated with the introduction into circulation of the single European currency, the euro. Basic project of the lottery appeared in 1994 and its key idea was to synchronize its start to the transition of the European Union countries to use the European currency. Nevertheless, the launching of the EuroMillions lottery was postponed several times, and only ten years later – February 13, 2004 its first draw was held in Pari. In the recent past, the lottery has undergone significant changes, and May 10, 2011 the first draw of the updated lottery EuroMillions took place and went down in history took, and in less than two months later, there was another significant event – July 12, 2011 was raffled off a record EuroMillions lottery jackpot – 185 million euro.

In England, beginning of lottery holdings is associated with the name of one of the most outstanding personalities of the British monarch Queen Elizabeth I and falls on 1559, the first year of her reign. Just at this time the kingdom had serious economic difficulties, while England was actually in a state of war and economic blockade.

Politicians, surrounding the queen, bound the state’s way out of this situation with the successful marriage of Elizabeth I with some strong foreign monarch of the time, but Elizabeth had a very strong character, and flatly refused such a political maneuver and said that was not going to get married, and she knew how to fix the country's financial situation. And who would have thought that the young queen offered to hold a lottery. It should be noted that Elizabeth's offer proved to be a very successful move.

The lottery was launched on a large scale and held January 11, 1559. It was proposed to sell about 40 thousand lottery tickets, and the winners are expected a remuneration in the form of tapestries, gold and money. The collected funds were spent on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of ports and other public needs. Since then, the tradition to hold state lotteries in England existed until 1825, until it was interrupted by the government under the pressure of the opponents of the lottery in the face of opposition in the British Parliament.

But we must pay tribute to the fact, that for more than two centuries the famous British Museum, London aqueduct, several bridges and many other important architectural objects were built for the "lottery" money.

Between the XV and XVII centuries lottery drawings are widely used throughout Europe. The first mention of the lottery holding in the European countries is associated with the raffle, which was organized by the widow of the Flemish artist Jan van Eyck, timed to the 25th anniversary of his death. The lottery was held in Bruges, today’s Belgium, and dates back to the 27th of February 1466. Anyone who bought a lottery ticket could take part in the lottery and get a monetary reward. The money raised went to support the urban poor. After 1466 all kinds of lottery were held in Belgium, through which chapels, almshouses, canals, and port facilities were built.

Events of 1515, which occurred in the Republic of Genoa, reveal to us the mystery of the origin of the word "lottery". In the XV century in Genoa during the elections to local self-government body (the Grand Council) 90 candidates were elected, then by the final round it was required to select only 5 most worthy candidates. To get the fairest result, it was decided to hold a special lottery formula 5 of 90, thereby passing the final word "Lotto", which means in a translation from Italian "Destiny". In addition, there is a perception among the linguists, that the word "lottery" comes from the Frankish «hlot», which means "lots", and which eventually transformed into the English word "lot" – "share". Apparently, experts find it difficult to determine with chronological accuracy, which language is the ancestor of the modern word "lottery", but at least, the fact is obvious that the roots of its origin lead to the Romance language family.

From 1520 to 1532, the king of France, Francis I issued a decree on holding a lottery draws in an effort to improve the situation of the state treasury. Lottery wheels, of which citizens have pulled the tickets, were installed in several cities of France: Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Lille.

In Italy, one of the first high-profile lottery is "De Lotto de Firenze”, organized in 1530 in Florence. It was one of the first lottery, which raffled monetary prizes, so it was marked by the unprecedented success and quickly spread to other cities in the country, and since 1863 on the territory of today’s Italy regular national lotteries were held.

In 1726, in Holland (Netherlands), was formed and held the oldest and still operating today classic numerical lottery, which is a significant event in the history of creation and development of lotteries. The first numerical lottery, held in the Netherlands, had served as a catalyst for rapid development and distribution of lotteries throughout Europe.

In Spain, fashionable tradition to hold a lottery, brought from Naples Spanish King Charles III. December 10, 1763 the first draw of the Spanish National Lottery La Primitiva was held, that, just as the first Dutch lottery is among the long-livers and remains until today.

However, the Dutch and the Spaniards were not alone in their endeavors, and in chronological order, followed by the Netherlands and Spain in 1783, Portugal has launched the first national charity lottery under the oldest holy cathedral of Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa (Lotaria Nacional Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa), which is also one of the oldest in the world and permanent lottery institutions founded by queen Maria Pia.

In 1863, after the unification of Italy, it was established the first national lottery Lotto Italy, which draws have been held on a regular basis every week, and the income received in the State treasury.

In 1930, the first Irish national lottery were launched, who won on the US and Canadian markets and great popularity due to the total ban to held lotteries during this period of time in these countries. Also, among them were charity lotteries, organized for the benefit of Irish hospitals

In 1933, after almost 100 years of the ban period, the lottery called Loterie Nationale was again rehabilitated in France, which operated on a regular basis until the beginning of the Second World War, after which it draws were discontinued. After the onset of the peacetime the operation of the lottery was restored.

The history of the lottery leads to the ancient origins of human civilization. According to scientists, one of the first mentions of the specific manifestation of a lottery are ancient Greek myths, which says that soldiers drew from the Golden helmet pebbles, one of which gave the right to a duel with Zeus, what implied the chance to stay alive or to die with honour.

Despite the discrepancies in chronological events of antiquity, one of the following historical chronicles, interpreting the origin of the forerunner of the lottery, and which is referred to by historians, is the Bible - The Book of Numbers (chapter 26), where it is recorded that God enjoined Moses to count the "children of Israel" and to divide by lot between them land on the West Bank (as a reward for years of trials and hardships while wandering through the deserts).

Historians interpret these facts in such a way, that after people performed a certain action – they were given a reward, that can be interpreted as the win, associated with obtaining a reward for winning the lottery.

There is the emergence of the first forms of lottery in ancient Rome and China almost at the same time. In 100 BC, during the reign of the China's Han Dynasty, was organized the lottery which resembles a game of Keno. The proceeds from its holding, were used for the defense of the country, and especially to finance the construction of the Great Wall of China.

Historical chronicle says that in the late Roman Republic were known various forms of lottery, associated with the name of Julius Caesar. During his reign the first public lottery was organized to raise funds for the municipal needs of Rome: roads, bridges and buildings maintenance. In addition, during the great feasts free lottery were held for poor people. Plebeians handed "paper of happiness", and a few lucky ones received monetary prizes.