An official lottery is a lottery that has been sanctioned by the government and is run by a duly authorized representative. Official lotteries are regulated by specific rules and regulations that protect players and ensure fairness. The official lottery for the state of Connecticut is run by the Connecticut Lottery Corporation. Tickets for the Connecticut lottery are fanfolded and have the same Pack Number.

The first official lotteries with money prizes were held in the Low Countries during the fifteenth century. Towns held public lotteries to fund projects such as fortifications and poor relief. These lottery games were seen as civic duty and some states established churches and universities with the money collected. A record of a lottery in the city of L’Ecluse dated 9 May 1445 mentions that a lottery was held to raise money for the walls of the city. The prize was 17.37 florins, equivalent to about US$170,000 in 2014.

In order to purchase an official lottery ticket online, you will need to know the laws of your state. In most states, you can play online – but you have to be sure that the lottery retailer is legal and operates within the state. If you live outside the state, you can also use an offshore lottery provider. Offshore lottery providers will ship your lottery ticket to an off-site retailer. While these providers are legal, they are generally not safe to use. It’s best to stick to the official lottery in your state and use a reputable lottery courier.

The Continental Congress first used lotteries to raise funds for the Colonial Army. While some believed the games were unfair, they proved to be an effective method for raising public funds. In the 1960s, lotteries and casinos re-emerged across the world as a means for governments to raise revenue.