SummerLAB

The history of UK lottery tickets goes back a long time; it all began in the form of games of chance and raffles and it was only in 1566 that the first lottery was chartered. This was done by Queen Elizabeth I and it took another three years (1569) till the first draw would take place. In these days the lotteries were intended more to raise money for improving the lot of the public than for serious winnings.

Buying those first few UK lottery tickets meant that you had a chance of winning prizes that were not large and in any case the biggest prize could never exceed the sum of money raised through selling of the tickets. Mostly, the prizes offered included a plate made from silver and some other valuables.

If you were lucky enough to win a prize in these lotteries you would receive money in the form of loans without interest. This money was paid for three years in which the tickets were being sold. Later on the government decided to allow brokers and their agents to sell the tickets and it is these brokers that today are the main stockbrokers for different gambling ventures.

Whats more, the early days of the UK lottery saw ticket prices being more than what an average player could afford. This resulted in the agents selling part of the ticket to different players who would then have a share in the ticket. In addition, many private lotteries were also being played and these actually even helped to raise money to help immigrants from England settle down in Jamestown, USA.

In the earliest days, the English state lotteries were held for a more than two century period spanning the years 1694 through till 1826. And, the largest winning in the UK lotteries (until the year 1996) was a sum of 42 million pounds that three lucky ticket holders shared.

Since then many winners have succeeded in winning larger sums of money.