Claude Monet Lemon-Trees Bordighera

Claude Monet Lemon-Trees BordigheraClaude Monet Ice Thawing on the SeineClaude Monet Houses of Parliament London
America's fascination with the of chance is as old as the nation itself. Lotteries were a common way to raise money for public works in Colonial America, but they fell out of favor in the 19th century, perceived as contrary to the culture of hardfor legislatures looking to raise money without hiking taxes. Ordinary Americans seem to love them too—even though the odds of hitting achanging payday remain minuscule. The chance of winning an extra ticket or a couple of bucks runs to about 1 in 4, but the odds of hitting the 30-state Powerball jackpot are roughly 1 in 146 million. (Your odds of making two holes in one in the same round of as slim as 1 in 67 million.) work, rectitude, and saving. Federal anti-lottery legislation in the 1890s closed the door on them for three quarters of a century. And when New Hampshire launched the first modern state lottery, in 1964, it made sure to hire a former FBI agent to run it.Today, lotteries are a fixture in 42 states and the District of Columbia and are likely only to grow in popularity in the months ahead as governments around the nation struggle with budget shortfalls. The have, understandably, become a favorite crutch