July 10, 2024

Lottery is an event or game in which people draw numbers and hope to win a prize. It has a long history, beginning with ancient times, when the casting of lots was used as a form of decision making and divination. In the modern sense, the word “lottery” refers to a type of gambling in which tickets are sold for a chance to win a cash prize. The prizes can be anything from money to land, vehicles, and even airplanes. Generally, lottery tickets are purchased with a view to winning a large sum of money, though the odds of winning are very low.

Lotteries have become an important source of revenue for many states and have been used to fund a wide range of public projects, from building roads and bridges to paying debts. In the United States, state lotteries are regulated by laws passed by the legislature and overseen by a state agency or commission. The agencies are usually responsible for selecting and licensing retailers, training employees of those retailers to operate lottery terminals, promoting lottery games, and verifying that all state regulations are followed. In some cases, the agencies also administer and pay out top prizes.

In some states, the proceeds from lottery sales are earmarked for specific purposes, such as education. In addition to general public support, lotteries develop extensive and diverse constituencies that include convenience store operators (the lottery is a popular item in their stores); lottery suppliers (heavy contributions by these companies to state political campaigns are often reported); teachers, who benefit from earmarked lottery revenues; and state legislators, who grow accustomed to the steady flow of income.

Most states offer multiple lottery games, including scratch-off tickets, drawing-style games, and video-game lotteries. While the majority of these lotteries are run by governmental agencies, some private businesses have entered the lottery business. While most of these lotteries are legitimate, some are fraudulent and are operated by crooks and con artists who are looking to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers.

Despite the fact that the purchase of lottery tickets cannot be accounted for in a model of expected value maximization, many people continue to buy tickets. They do so either because they do not understand the mathematics, or because the entertainment and fantasy value of becoming wealthy is worth the cost.

Lottery has a long and varied history in human culture, but its use for material gain is comparatively recent. The first recorded public lotteries were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century to raise funds for town fortifications and to help the poor. The term “lottery” is derived from the Latin root lot, meaning fate. It can be argued that all of life is a lottery in some way, whether we are playing the lottery of birth, the lottery of aging or the lottery of marriage. We all know that we are not likely to win, but there is always a sliver of hope that we will.

The NUS Singapore History Prize was created in 2014, and is awarded in three year cycles. It is open to all works that deal with Singapore’s history, whether written or translated into English, by creators from any country. The prize was mooted by NUS Asia Research Institute distinguished fellow Kishore Mahbubani, who wrote that a shared imagination of the past is a crucial glue that holds societies together.

The shortlist for the NUS History Prize features works with a more personal slant, such as Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam (2019, available here) by Hidayah Amin, which shines a light on the history of a heritage royal building in the heart of Kampong Glam. The NUS prize’s criteria and mechanism for selecting a winner in a given three year cycle will be determined by the judges, with a closing nomination date at least a year in advance of the prize being awarded.

NAC’s statement also noted that the prize money “will not be used for any purpose other than to provide financial support to the winning entrant.” It added that the fund will not be allocated for promotional purposes or be disbursed to individuals who have won a prize, including entrants themselves, their families, and their agents.

While state funding has helped many of the arts sector’s most prominent practitioners to flourish, some critics have argued that it can also be used as an instrument for censorship. This was highlighted when the NAC’s decision to withdraw funding to a contemporary dance project was criticized by some members of parliament.

The heir to the British throne, Prince William, will travel to Singapore next month to attend the third annual Earthshot Prize awards, which spotlight innovation projects that seek to address climate change. His visit will include events that will spotlight the prize’s finalists, and a summit organized by the United for Wildlife conservation group.

At Changi Airport, the royal will see a tree planted in his honor at the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. During his trip, he will also meet Singaporeans who are working to combat the illegal trade of wildlife products that has swelled to an estimated $20 billion per year globally.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore was quick to begin testing wastewater for traces of the virus, mirroring efforts elsewhere in the world. This was largely due to the work of Dutch microbiologist Professor Gertjan Medema, who was awarded this year’s Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize for his contributions in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology. His research proved that tracking traces of the virus in wastewater can help to identify and track outbreaks earlier, and prevent them from spreading. The award is backed by an endowment of $2 million, and is governed under the University’s Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and its corresponding Regulation.