Lotteries
This is as deceptive, and as base a business, as was ever introduced into any country. The apparent respectability of it, and of the men who carry it on, is calculated to remove the scruples many might otherwise have to patronizing it. The facility with which it can be patronized, without the liability of exposure, and the promises of sudden gain so artfully held out, are inducements not easily resisted by a money-loving people, totally ignorant of the odds against them in the game they play.
All other games generally require the personal attention of the players who patronize them; but this is a game at which any one can play, and need never be seen, even by those against whom he may be playing. Thousands of persons, who stand high in the estimation of their neighbors for good conduct; men who would not, on any account, be found at a gambling-table, will patronize lotteries. The ease with which it can be done, without exposure, enables them to gratify, to the full extent of their means, their passion for this base species of swindling. In many of our large cities, numerous well-dressed young men are constantly engaged in vending tickets through the streets, or from house to house, and they can be bought as privately as the buyer may wish, or he may send his servant for them. Thus it is that a man may gamble as extensively as he pleases in lotteries, without his proceedings being at all likely to become public.
In my description of lotteries, I shall confine myself to the lottery scheme before us; because it will serve as an example of all others, and because the reader will be better able to comprehend explanations of this system than if I were to write of some scheme not here inserted.
By a reference to the tables of tickets, it will be seen that there are fifteen packages of whole tickets, as many of halves, and thirty packages of quarter tickets. Each package contains all the numbers, from one up to seventy-eight, without a repetition of any one of them. The tickets found in these tables are all that are intended for any one drawing; and every successive drawing is but another edition of the same tickets, all arranged in the same order, and with the same combination numbers; but they have a different class number on them. The proprietors of a lottery furnish the printer with a copy of these tables, arranged in a blank book, and this book is called the scheme-book, from which as many as may be ordered from time to time are printed.
The arranging of the class numbers is a matter of fancy, as to what they shall be; their only use being to determine to what particular drawing any particular ticket belongs, in order that a ticket which proves to be a blank may not, at some future drawing, be handed in for a premium, on account of containing some of the numbers then drawn.
The Drawing. There are several methods of conducting the drawing; but that which is most commonly used is as follows:—
There is a hollow wheel, as represented in the plate; then there are seventy-eight small tin tubes, scarcely half an inch in diameter, and about three inches in length; these are for holding the numbers, from one to seventy-eight; each number is on a separate piece of paper, which is rolled up and put into a tube; these tubes, when the numbers have been placed in them, are all put into the wheel, and a person is selected to draw out one at a time from the wheel, which is opened, and cried aloud, for the information of those present who may be interested. The number is registered, for the future guidance of the lottery-dealer, in determining what he shall pay those who may hold one or more of the numbers so drawn. After this, the wheel is again turned, so as to mix well the numbers contained in it, and a second is drawn; and the same proceedings are gone over with, until twelve numbers are drawn, and registered in the order in which they are drawn. Sometimes thirteen will be drawn, it being customary, on many occasions, to draw one number for every six contained in the wheel; but I cannot give this as a universal rule, because I have often found it deviated from. Sometimes little boys are selected to draw the numbers from the wheel—to give the impression that every possible step has been taken to render the management as fair as possible; but in this there is also much deception.
Swarms of domestic servants, day labourers, and the most poor and needy persons daily visit these worse than gambling shops, where they risk their little all, and get nothing in return but the delightful anticipation of being rich when the “drawing” takes place.
True it has been the case that prizes have been drawn, and trumpeted forth to the world, as inducements for others to buy. Having known how some of these prizes have sometimes been obtained, will it be too much to suppose that others are obtained in like manner? that is by the proprietors of lotteries being swindled through the unfaithfulness of their agents. A case came to my knowledge of a man who drew a capital prize; and the mode of operation, by which it was effected, was as follows: An agent, who was stationed in a town some distance from the principal establishment, made two confidants, who, doubtless, readily acted with him from hope of gain. One of these was the post-master of the town, and the other an acquaintance, a patron of the lottery. The duty of the agent was to transmit to the principal office all unsold tickets, by the first mail that left after the known hour of drawing. This mail also conveyed the lists of the drawing; but, in a regular manner of proceeding, they would not have been accessible to the agent before the departure of the stage with his unsold tickets. By making a confidant of the post-master, however, he received the lists as quick as possible after the mail arrived, and before it had been assorted. He then examined his unsold tickets, and if any considerable prize remained, he would take it from among the unsold tickets, and despatch the remainder to the principal office, and give the prize to his other confidant; each one giving out that the ticket had been sold to him; and accordingly the prize would be claimed and paid, although fraudulently obtained. In this particular case, the capital prize was drawn, and it appeared that the ticket-holder appropriated all the money to his own use, as he was known to buy much property shortly afterwards. It is believed also, by those who were acquainted with the incident, that he never divided with the rascally agent; and thus was the cheater cheated, who, in his wrath, let out some of the secrets of the manner in which the prize was obtained.
This same man has since met with reverses of fortune, and would now, I believe, find it difficult to raise money sufficient to purchase a ticket even of a low price.
Among the many cases of lottery swindling, every body has heard of the great Louisiana real estate lottery, in which the prizes were to have been the St. Charles Hotel, the Verandah, the St. Charles Theatre, the Bank, the Arcade, and other magnificent buildings in New Orleans. It is quite needless to say any thing of this, as the public has been pretty well enlightened in regard to it, through the public journals of the day.
The following is a copy of a handbill issued by the proprietors of the lottery immediately after a drawing, for the information of ticket-holders, and all others interested:—
Drawing of the Lottery.
The following are the numbers which were this day drawn from the seventy-eight placed in the wheel, viz.:—
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 20 | 51 | 61 | 24 | 74 | 77 | 46 | 36 | 69 | 29 | 26 | 3 |
and that the said tickets were drawn in the order in which they stand: that is to say, No. 20 was the first that was drawn; No. 51 was the 2d; No. 61 was the 3d; No. 24 was the 4th; No. 74 was the 5th; No. 77 was the 6th; No. 46 was the 7th; No. 36 was the 8th; No. 69 was the 9th; No. 29 was the 10th; No. 26 was the 11th; No. 3 was the 12th, and last.
Those tickets entitled to the 110 highest prizes were drawn in the following order:—
| 1 | 2 | 3 | $30,000 | 7 | 8 | 9 | $5,000 | |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 10,000 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 2,367 | 20 |
Those 6 tickets having on them the
2 3 4 3 4 5 5 6 7 6 7 8 8 9 10 9 10 11 } each 1,500
Those 100 tickets having on them the
| 1 2 4 | 1 4 7 | 1 7 9 | 2 3 11 | 2 6 10 | |
| 1 2 5 | 1 4 8 | 1 7 10 | 2 3 12 | 2 6 11 | |
| 1 2 6 | 1 4 9 | 1 7 11 | 2 4 5 | 2 6 12 | |
| 1 2 7 | 1 4 10 | 1 7 12 | 2 4 6 | 2 7 8 | |
| 1 2 8 | 1 4 11 | 1 8 9 | 2 4 7 | 2 7 9 | |
| 1 2 9 | 1 4 12 | 1 8 10 | 2 4 8 | 2 7 10 | |
| 1 2 10 | 1 5 6 | 1 8 11 | 2 4 9 | 2 7 11 | |
| 1 2 11 | 1 5 7 | 1 8 12 | 2 4 10 | 2 7 12 | |
| 1 2 12 | 1 5 8 | 1 9 10 | 2 4 11 | 2 8 9 | |
| 1 3 4 | 1 5 9 | 1 9 11 | 2 4 12 | 2 8 10 | |
| 1 3 5 | 1 5 10 | 1 9 12 | 2 5 6 | 2 8 11 | } each 1,000 |
| 1 3 6 | 1 5 11 | 1 10 11 | 2 5 7 | 2 8 12 | |
| 1 3 7 | 1 5 12 | 1 10 12 | 2 5 8 | 2 9 10 | |
| 1 3 8 | 1 6 7 | 1 11 12 | 2 5 9 | 2 9 11 | |
| 1 3 9 | 1 6 8 | 2 3 5 | 2 5 10 | 2 9 12 | |
| 1 3 10 | 1 6 9 | 2 3 6 | 2 5 11 | 2 10 11 | |
| 1 3 11 | 1 6 10 | 2 3 7 | 2 5 12 | 2 10 12 | |
| 1 3 12 | 1 6 11 | 2 3 8 | 2 6 7 | 2 11 12 | |
| 1 4 5 | 1 6 12 | 2 3 9 | 2 6 8 | 3 4 6 | |
| 1 4 6 | 1 7 8 | 2 3 10 | 2 6 9 | 3 4 7 |
| All others with three of the drawn numbers on, (being 110) each | 300 |
| Those 66 tickets having on them the 1st and 2d drawn numbers, each | 100 |
| Those 66 tickets having on them the 2d and 3d, each | 80 |
| Those 66 tickets having on them the 3d and 4th, each | 50 |
| Those 66 tickets having on them the 4th and 5th, each | 40 |
| Those 132 tickets having on them the 5th and 6th, or 6th and 7th, each | 30 |
| All others with two of the drawn numbers on, (being 3960,) each | 20 |
| And all tickets having one, only, of the drawn numbers on, each, (being 25,740,) | 10 |
Now, let us spend a few moments in examining this bill, and we shall see how much truth there is in it. It says, that the ticket having on it the three first drawn numbers will be entitled to the capital prize of $30,000. Now, in the whole scheme before us, there is no such ticket. The combination, 20, 51, 61, is not to be found in this arrangement. Consequently, there was no ticket whose numbers entitled it to this prize. Next, the bill says, the ticket having the fourth, fifth, and sixth drawn numbers, which would have been 24, 74, 77, would be entitled to a prize of $10,000. There is no such ticket in the combination. Consequently this also is false. Now, it is evident that the dealers, in publishing this bill, mean to impress the public with the idea, that tickets, containing the necessary numbers to draw these prizes, are in the lottery, and that somebody must, of course, draw them; but it is all false, and a very little investigation will convince any one, that a greater system of deception can hardly exist. Bear in mind, that the bill says these prizes were drawn. The third prize was $5,000, and the ticket which contained the seventh, eighth, and ninth numbers was to draw this prize. These numbers are 36, 46, 69. There is no such combination in the scheme-book—no such ticket was printed or sold. Consequently, here is another falsehood. The same can be said of the fourth prize—the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth numbers—being 3, 26, 29. There is no such combination in the book, and no such prize could be drawn. Of the next six prizes, of $1,500 each, said to have been drawn, there was not a single ticket in the whole scheme which contained the necessary numbers to draw any one of these six prizes!
It is next asserted, that there were in the lottery one hundred tickets, having three drawn numbers, and entitled each to a prize of $1,000. This I have examined, and I find that, instead of being one hundred, there are but two—the first in magnitude being one from package number six, of half tickets, bearing the numbers 20, 36, 51,—these being the first, second, and eighth of the drawn numbers, and would entitle the holder to one half of the $1,000, subject to a deduction of fifteen per cent. The other is a quarter ticket, bearing the numbers 46, 51, 74—from the twenty-seventh package, of quarters—being the second, fifth, and seventh of the drawn numbers, and would entitle the holder of it to one quarter of the $1,000, after deducting the fifteen per cent. But it is well known that, frequently, scarce one half of the tickets of any one class, intended for a particular drawing, are ever disposed of, and are consequently returned to the manager’s office, to be destroyed. Then, what guaranty have we that the numbers entitled to the above pitiful prizes were sold? They are as likely to be among the tickets returned unsold, as among those sold. Next, the bill states that there were one hundred and ten others, each having three drawn numbers, and were entitled to a prize of $300 each. By a close investigation, I find but one single ticket of this kind in the whole scheme. This is the ticket in the twelfth package of quarters, bearing the numbers 61, 69, 77; and if it had been sold, it would have entitled the holder to one fourth of the $300, deducting 15 per cent. Next, the bill says, those sixty-six tickets having the first and second drawn numbers, will each be entitled to a prize of $100. In searching for these in the scheme-book, I find but one that bears the first and second numbers; that is, in package fourteen. The ticket having the numbers 20, 51, 66, is the only one having the two first numbers; and if sold, the holder was entitled to one half of the $100, it being a half ticket. Now, the reader may perceive that I have examined and laid open, so that he too may examine, this masterpiece of villany. I find that of the two hundred and eighty-six highest prizes, which, their own handbill states, existed in their lottery, and which, by their own figures, amounted to the enormous sum of $195,967, and, in order to be drawn, only required that the tickets should be bought,—I find, allowing every ticket to have been sold, and afterwards every holder presented his ticket for the sum to which it might be entitled, that of the two hundred and eighty-six said to be in the scheme, there are but five, and these very inconsiderable; and that the greatest amount of these five prizes, without deducting the fifteen per cent, is only $875, instead of the enormous sum of $195,967. Can it be possible that any person will be found to patronize lotteries, after considering these facts?
I pass over those small prizes named after the first sixty-six having the first and second drawn numbers on them, and will prove the balance to be falsehoods, as the greater portion of the first part of the bill is.
In the first place, let us see how many prizes are represented to exist, not to say any thing of the blanks. In counting up the prizes named on this bill, we find them to be 30,316; and I do not think they would pretend to say that more than one half of their tickets were prizes. Then we will say that they had an equal number of blanks. This would carry their scheme up to over sixty thousand tickets; and even if they were all prizes, and no blanks, (which they do not pretend,) who cannot see the extreme improbability of their disposing of 30,316 tickets in one week? for it must be remembered that these were all of one class, and for one particular week’s drawing. But the last witness, whose overwhelming testimony will settle the question, is their own scheme-book, of which an accurate copy is here given, and which shows the number of tickets, for any one drawing, to be but 1,560, the half of which, by great exertion, they might succeed in selling; each successive drawing being another edition of these same combinations, with a different class number on them. Now, let me ask, where are their 30,316 prizes to come from? What a scheme of deception do we here behold! and one, too, that has been so long submitted to and patronized by the public of this and other countries.
Another method of still further swindling the buyers of tickets, is much practised in some parts of the country. The agents who sell the tickets are authorized to insure them. When a man buys one, the price, perhaps, might be ten dollars. The seller, if he has been authorized, will say, “Now, sir, for ten dollars, I will insure your ticket to draw a prize.” This is enough for the buyer to have his ticket insured to draw a prize, and possibly the capital prize: he pays an additional fee, and the agent forwards the numbers of all the tickets, so insured, to the office where the drawing is to be held; and there they manage to have these tickets contain one (seldom more) of the drawn numbers. This entitles the buyer to receive back the price of his ticket, after taking out 15 per cent.; and as it was not a total blank, the insurer is safe, and retains the sum paid for insurance. The buyer remains swindled out of the insurance, and 15 per cent, of the cost. These swindling shops are numerous, and are sometimes called policy offices.
We sincerely hope that our readers will examine with some attention the developments we have made in relation to the deceptive schemes of the lottery managers; for we feel that they cannot fail to convince every man of common sense, who has a particle of moral principle and moral honesty left, that he who encourages this basest of all swindling, by purchasing tickets, is not alone an enemy to himself and family, but he countenances a species of gambling that is extensively mischievous and ruinous, and has for its victims many of our best citizens, young and old; while, at the same time, he unintentionally throws a veil over the villanous deeds of the lottery gambler and his unprincipled, as well as his inexperienced supporters. We once more invite our readers to examine our statements with attention.
The following tables represent, completely, the entire contents of a lottery dealer’s scheme-book, made for the guidance of the printer, in printing tickets. At the close of the tables is represented a ticket, with its class and combination numbers.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 27 53 | 1 28 55 | 1 29 54 | 1 30 56 | 1 31 57 | 1 32 58 |
| 2 28 54 | 2 29 56 | 2 30 55 | 2 31 57 | 2 32 58 | 2 33 59 |
| 3 29 55 | 3 30 57 | 3 31 56 | 3 32 58 | 3 33 59 | 3 34 60 |
| 4 30 56 | 4 31 58 | 4 32 57 | 4 33 59 | 4 34 60 | 4 35 78 |
| 5 31 57 | 5 32 59 | 5 33 58 | 5 34 60 | 5 35 61 | 5 36 77 |
| 6 32 58 | 6 33 60 | 6 34 59 | 6 35 61 | 6 36 62 | 6 42 71 |
| 7 33 59 | 7 34 61 | 7 35 60 | 7 36 62 | 7 37 63 | 7 43 70 |
| 8 34 60 | 8 35 62 | 8 36 61 | 8 37 63 | 8 38 64 | 8 44 69 |
| 9 35 61 | 9 36 63 | 9 37 62 | 9 38 64 | 9 39 65 | 9 45 68 |
| 10 36 62 | 10 37 64 | 10 38 63 | 10 39 65 | 10 40 66 | 10 46 67 |
| 11 37 63 | 11 38 65 | 11 39 64 | 11 40 66 | 11 41 67 | 11 37 76 |
| 12 38 64 | 12 39 66 | 12 40 65 | 12 41 67 | 12 42 68 | 12 38 75 |
| 13 39 65 | 13 40 67 | 13 41 66 | 13 42 68 | 13 43 69 | 13 39 74 |
| 14 40 66 | 14 41 68 | 14 42 67 | 14 43 69 | 14 44 70 | 14 40 73 |
| 15 41 67 | 15 42 69 | 15 43 68 | 15 44 70 | 15 45 71 | 15 41 72 |
| 16 42 68 | 16 43 70 | 16 44 69 | 16 45 71 | 16 46 72 | 16 27 57 |
| 17 43 69 | 17 44 71 | 17 45 70 | 17 46 72 | 17 47 73 | 17 28 56 |
| 18 44 70 | 18 45 72 | 18 46 71 | 18 47 73 | 18 48 74 | 18 29 55 |
| 19 45 71 | 19 46 73 | 19 47 72 | 19 48 74 | 19 49 75 | 19 30 54 |
| 20 46 72 | 20 47 74 | 20 48 73 | 20 49 75 | 20 50 76 | 20 31 53 |
| 21 47 73 | 21 48 75 | 21 49 74 | 21 50 76 | 21 51 77 | 21 47 65 |
| 22 48 74 | 22 49 76 | 22 50 75 | 22 51 77 | 22 52 78 | 22 48 66 |
| 23 49 75 | 23 50 77 | 23 51 76 | 23 52 78 | 23 30 53 | 23 49 64 |
| 24 50 76 | 24 51 78 | 24 52 77 | 24 27 53 | 24 29 54 | 24 50 63 |
| 25 51 77 | 25 52 53 | 25 27 78 | 25 28 54 | 25 28 55 | 25 51 62 |
| 26 52 78 | 26 27 54 | 26 28 53 | 26 29 55 | 26 27 56 | 26 52 61 |
The above lottery schemes were accurately copied from the scheme-book of a lottery dealer in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and may be considered a fair specimen of lottery combinations generally. The tables are for a 78 numbered lottery, every three perpendicular lines of figures containing a package, and each package all the numbers, from 1 to 78, inclusive; and there are also 26 tickets in each package.
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 96 | 97 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 1 34 59 | 1 60 78 | 1 61 64 | 1 35 36 | 1 38 39 | 1 41 43 |
| 2 36 60 | 2 61 77 | 2 62 65 | 2 37 38 | 2 40 49 | 2 42 45 |
| 3 35 61 | 3 62 76 | 3 63 66 | 3 39 40 | 3 41 50 | 3 44 47 |
| 4 37 62 | 4 63 75 | 4 29 78 | 4 41 42 | 4 42 51 | 4 46 49 |
| 5 38 63 | 5 64 74 | 5 28 77 | 5 43 44 | 5 43 52 | 5 48 51 |
| 6 49 74 | 6 65 73 | 6 27 76 | 6 45 46 | 6 44 53 | 6 50 53 |
| 7 50 75 | 7 66 72 | 7 30 50 | 7 47 48 | 7 45 54 | 7 52 55 |
| 8 51 76 | 8 67 71 | 8 31 51 | 8 49 50 | 8 46 55 | 8 54 57 |
| 9 52 77 | 9 68 70 | 9 32 52 | 9 51 52 | 9 47 56 | 9 56 59 |
| 10 27 78 | 10 53 69 | 10 33 53 | 10 53 54 | 10 48 57 | 10 58 61 |
| 11 28 53 | 11 27 52 | 11 34 54 | 11 55 56 | 11 58 67 | 11 60 63 |
| 12 29 54 | 12 28 51 | 12 35 55 | 12 57 58 | 12 59 68 | 12 62 65 |
| 13 30 55 | 13 29 50 | 13 36 56 | 13 59 60 | 13 60 69 | 13 64 67 |
| 14 31 56 | 14 30 49 | 14 37 57 | 14 61 62 | 14 61 70 | 14 66 69 |
| 15 32 57 | 15 31 48 | 15 38 58 | 15 63 64 | 15 62 71 | 15 68 71 |
| 16 33 58 | 16 32 47 | 16 39 59 | 16 65 66 | 16 63 72 | 16 70 73 |
| 17 48 73 | 17 33 46 | 17 40 60 | 17 67 68 | 17 64 73 | 17 72 75 |
| 18 47 72 | 18 34 45 | 18 41 67 | 18 69 70 | 18 65 74 | 18 74 77 |
| 19 46 71 | 19 35 44 | 19 42 68 | 19 71 72 | 19 66 75 | 19 76 78 |
| 20 45 70 | 20 36 43 | 20 43 69 | 20 73 74 | 20 27 76 | 20 35 40 |
| 21 44 69 | 21 37 59 | 21 44 70 | 21 75 76 | 21 28 77 | 21 34 39 |
| 22 43 68 | 22 38 58 | 22 45 71 | 22 77 78 | 22 29 78 | 22 33 38 |
| 23 42 67 | 23 39 57 | 23 46 72 | 23 27 28 | 23 30 34 | 23 32 37 |
| 24 41 66 | 24 40 56 | 24 47 73 | 24 29 30 | 24 31 35 | 24 31 36 |
| 25 40 65 | 25 41 55 | 25 48 74 | 25 31 32 | 25 32 36 | 25 27 29 |
| 26 39 64 | 26 42 54 | 26 49 75 | 26 33 34 | 26 33 37 | 26 28 30 |
At the beginning of the first package you will see the numbers 1, 27, 53; they are placed on one ticket; and so with each succeeding three numbers through the whole scheme.
| 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 101 | |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 00 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 45 44 | 1 62 70 | 1 27 78 | 1 2 53 | 1 2 60 | |
| 2 46 47 | 2 63 71 | 2 28 77 | 3 4 54 | 3 6 61 | |
| 3 48 49 | 3 64 72 | 3 29 76 | 5 29 55 | 4 7 62 | |
| 4 50 51 | 4 65 73 | 4 30 75 | 6 30 56 | 5 52 63 | |
| 5 52 53 | 5 66 74 | 5 31 74 | 7 31 57 | 8 51 64 | |
| 6 54 55 | 6 52 75 | 6 32 73 | 8 32 58 | 9 50 65 | |
| 7 56 57 | 7 53 76 | 7 33 72 | 9 33 59 | 10 49 66 | |
| 8 58 59 | 8 54 77 | 8 34 71 | 10 34 60 | 11 48 67 | |
| 9 60 61 | 9 55 78 | 9 35 70 | 11 35 61 | 12 47 68 | |
| 10 62 63 | 10 56 67 | 10 36 69 | Here ends Fifteen Packages of Whole Tickets | 12 36 62 | 13 46 69 |
| 11 64 65 | 11 57 68 | 11 37 68 | 13 37 63 | 14 45 70 | |
| 12 66 67 | 12 58 69 | 12 38 67 | 14 38 64 | 15 44 71 | |
| 13 68 69 | 13 59 61 | 13 39 66 | 15 39 65 | 16 43 72 | |
| 14 70 71 | 14 51 60 | 14 40 65 | 16 40 66 | 17 42 73 | |
| 15 72 73 | 15 27 39 | 15 41 64 | 17 41 67 | 18 41 74 | |
| 16 74 75 | 16 28 40 | 16 42 63 | 18 42 68 | 19 40 75 | |
| 17 76 77 | 17 29 41 | 17 43 62 | 19 43 69 | 20 39 76 | |
| 18 43 78 | 18 30 42 | 18 44 61 | 20 44 70 | 21 38 77 | |
| 19 27 42 | 19 31 43 | 19 45 60 | 21 45 71 | 22 37 78 | |
| 20 28 41 | 20 32 44 | 20 46 59 | 22 46 72 | 23 36 53 | |
| 21 29 40 | 21 33 45 | 21 47 58 | 23 47 73 | 24 35 54 | |
| 22 30 39 | 22 34 46 | 22 48 57 | 24 48 74 | 25 34 55 | |
| 23 31 38 | 23 35 47 | 23 49 56 | 25 49 75 | 26 33 56 | |
| 24 32 37 | 24 36 48 | 24 50 55 | 26 50 76 | 27 32 57 | |
| 25 33 36 | 25 37 49 | 25 51 54 | 27 51 77 | 28 31 58 | |
| 26 34 35 | 26 38 50 | 26 52 53 | 28 52 78 | 29 30 59 |
There are, in these schemes, 15 packages of whole tickets, each containing 26, which make an aggregate of 390, and the same number of halves, which, if added to the former, will make 780; also, 30 packages of quarters, making, in all, 1560. These comprise the whole of the combinations here given, and are intended for one particular drawing, constituting one class. For each successive drawing, another edition of the same combinations are offered for sale, only with different class numbers.
| 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 1 3 61 | 1 3 65 | 1 4 66 | 1 4 67 | 1 5 68 | 1 5 69 |
| 2 4 62 | 2 41 66 | 2 42 67 | 2 5 68 | 2 6 69 | 2 6 70 |
| 5 6 63 | 4 42 67 | 3 43 68 | 3 45 69 | 3 7 70 | 3 7 71 |
| 7 8 64 | 5 43 68 | 5 44 69 | 6 46 70 | 4 45 71 | 4 8 72 |
| 9 31 65 | 6 44 69 | 6 45 70 | 7 47 71 | 8 46 72 | 9 48 75 |
| 10 32 66 | 7 45 70 | 7 46 71 | 8 48 72 | 9 47 73 | 10 49 76 |
| 11 33 67 | 8 40 71 | 8 47 72 | 9 49 73 | 10 48 74 | 11 50 73 |
| 12 34 68 | 9 39 72 | 9 48 73 | 10 50 74 | 11 49 75 | 12 51 74 |
| 13 35 69 | 10 38 73 | 10 49 74 | 11 51 75 | 12 50 76 | 13 52 78 |
| 14 36 71 | 11 37 74 | 11 50 75 | 12 52 76 | 13 51 77 | 14 31 77 |
| 15 37 70 | 12 36 75 | 12 51 76 | 13 29 77 | 14 52 78 | 15 32 68 |
| 16 38 72 | 13 35 76 | 13 52 77 | 14 30 78 | 15 30 67 | 16 33 67 |
| 17 39 73 | 14 34 77 | 14 41 78 | 15 31 66 | 16 31 66 | 17 34 66 |
| 18 40 74 | 15 33 78 | 15 40 65 | 16 32 65 | 17 32 65 | 18 35 65 |
| 19 41 75 | 16 32 53 | 16 28 64 | 17 33 64 | 18 33 64 | 19 36 64 |
| 20 42 76 | 17 31 54 | 17 29 63 | 18 34 63 | 19 34 63 | 20 37 63 |
| 21 43 77 | 18 30 55 | 18 30 62 | 19 35 62 | 20 35 62 | 21 38 62 |
| 22 44 78 | 19 29 56 | 19 31 61 | 20 36 61 | 21 36 61 | 22 39 61 |
| 23 45 53 | 20 28 57 | 20 32 60 | 21 37 60 | 22 37 60 | 23 40 60 |
| 24 46 54 | 21 52 58 | 21 33 59 | 22 38 59 | 23 38 59 | 24 41 59 |
| 25 47 55 | 22 51 59 | 22 34 58 | 23 39 58 | 24 39 58 | 25 42 58 |
| 26 48 56 | 23 50 60 | 23 35 57 | 24 40 57 | 25 40 57 | 26 43 57 |
| 27 49 57 | 24 49 61 | 24 36 56 | 25 41 56 | 26 41 56 | 27 44 56 |
| 28 50 58 | 25 48 62 | 25 37 55 | 26 42 55 | 27 42 55 | 28 45 55 |
| 29 51 59 | 26 47 63 | 26 38 54 | 27 43 54 | 28 43 54 | 29 46 54 |
| 30 52 60 | 27 46 64 | 27 39 53 | 28 44 53 | 29 44 53 | 30 47 53 |
The venders of lottery tickets possess an immense advantage over the buyer, which is mostly in the extreme improbability of a prize of any considerable amount being drawn. The numbers 1 to 78 are capable of making 76076 combinations on what I may term the increasing ratio—that is, the second larger than the first, and the third larger than the second, in arithmetical progression; as, 5, 10, 15, &c.
| 109 | 110 | 196 | 197 | 198 | 199 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 1 6 70 | 1 6 71 | 1 7 72 | 1 7 73 | 1 8 74 | 1 8 75 |
| 2 7 71 | 2 7 72 | 2 8 73 | 2 8 74 | 2 9 75 | 2 9 76 |
| 3 8 72 | 3 8 73 | 3 9 74 | 3 9 75 | 3 10 76 | 3 10 77 |
| 4 9 73 | 4 9 74 | 4 10 75 | 4 10 76 | 4 11 77 | 4 11 78 |
| 5 10 74 | 5 10 75 | 5 11 76 | 5 11 77 | 5 12 78 | 5 12 74 |
| 11 32 75 | 11 33 76 | 6 12 77 | 6 12 78 | 6 13 73 | 6 13 72 |
| 12 33 76 | 12 34 77 | 13 33 78 | 13 52 72 | 7 14 72 | 7 14 73 |
| 13 34 77 | 13 35 78 | 14 34 53 | 14 51 71 | 15 45 70 | 15 46 71 |
| 14 35 78 | 14 36 70 | 15 35 54 | 15 50 70 | 16 46 71 | 16 47 70 |
| 15 36 69 | 15 37 69 | 16 36 55 | 16 49 69 | 17 47 69 | 17 48 69 |
| 16 37 68 | 16 38 68 | 17 37 56 | 17 48 68 | 18 48 68 | 18 49 68 |
| 17 38 67 | 17 39 67 | 18 38 57 | 18 47 67 | 19 49 67 | 19 50 67 |
| 18 39 66 | 18 40 66 | 19 39 58 | 19 46 66 | 20 50 66 | 20 51 66 |
| 19 40 65 | 19 41 65 | 20 40 59 | 20 45 65 | 21 51 65 | 21 52 65 |
| 20 41 64 | 20 42 64 | 21 41 60 | 21 44 64 | 22 52 64 | 22 45 64 |
| 21 42 62 | 21 43 63 | 22 42 61 | 22 43 61 | 23 44 63 | 23 44 61 |
| 22 43 63 | 22 44 62 | 23 43 62 | 23 42 62 | 24 43 62 | 24 43 60 |
| 23 44 60 | 23 45 61 | 24 44 63 | 24 41 63 | 25 42 61 | 25 42 63 |
| 24 45 61 | 24 46 60 | 25 45 64 | 25 40 60 | 26 41 60 | 26 41 62 |
| 25 46 59 | 25 47 59 | 26 46 65 | 26 39 59 | 27 40 59 | 27 40 58 |
| 26 47 58 | 26 48 58 | 27 47 66 | 27 38 58 | 28 39 58 | 28 39 59 |
| 27 48 57 | 27 49 56 | 28 48 67 | 28 37 57 | 29 38 57 | 29 38 56 |
| 28 49 56 | 28 50 57 | 29 49 68 | 29 36 56 | 30 37 56 | 30 37 57 |
| 29 50 55 | 29 51 55 | 30 50 69 | 30 35 55 | 31 36 55 | 31 36 54 |
| 30 51 54 | 30 52 54 | 31 51 70 | 31 34 54 | 32 35 53 | 32 35 55 |
| 31 52 53 | 31 32 53 | 32 52 71 | 32 33 53 | 33 34 54 | 33 34 53 |
In the following combinations there are but 1560, where there might be 76076; and if this latter number were printed and sold, some one must hold the three first drawn numbers, every ticket-holder having one chance out of 76076 of drawing the capital prize. But, in this combination, if a man were to purchase the whole of the tickets, being 1560, there would still be 49 chances against his holding the three first numbers, to one for it. As there are no two tickets holding the same three numbers, of course but one can hold the three first, which is the prize.
| 200 | 206 | 201 | 202 | 203 | 204 |
| 15 | 00 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1 9 76 | 1 9 77 | 1 10 77 | 1 10 78 | 1 11 21 | |
| 2 10 77 | 2 10 78 | 2 11 78 | 2 11 77 | 2 12 22 | |
| 3 11 78 | 3 11 76 | 3 12 53 | 3 12 76 | 3 13 23 | |
| 4 12 75 | 4 12 74 | 4 13 54 | 4 13 75 | 4 14 24 | |
| 5 13 74 | 5 13 75 | 5 14 55 | 5 14 74 | 5 15 25 | |
| 6 14 73 | Here ends Fifteen Packages of Half Tickets. The following Packages are Quarters. | 6 14 72 | 6 15 56 | 6 15 72 | 6 16 26 |
| 7 15 72 | 7 15 73 | 7 16 57 | 7 16 71 | 7 17 27 | |
| 8 16 71 | 8 16 70 | 8 17 58 | 8 17 70 | 8 18 28 | |
| 17 52 70 | 17 51 71 | 9 18 59 | 9 18 69 | 9 19 29 | |
| 18 51 69 | 18 50 69 | 19 52 60 | 19 36 68 | 10 20 30 | |
| 19 50 68 | 19 49 68 | 20 40 72 | 20 37 67 | 31 41 51 | |
| 20 49 67 | 20 48 67 | 21 50 62 | 21 38 66 | 32 42 52 | |
| 21 48 66 | 21 47 66 | 22 49 63 | 22 39 65 | 33 43 53 | |
| 22 47 65 | 22 46 65 | 23 48 64 | 23 40 64 | 34 44 54 | |
| 23 46 64 | 23 45 64 | 24 47 65 | 24 41 62 | 35 45 55 | |
| 24 45 63 | 24 44 61 | 25 46 66 | 25 45 63 | 36 46 56 | |
| 25 44 62 | 25 43 62 | 26 45 67 | 26 43 60 | 37 47 57 | |
| 26 43 61 | 26 42 63 | 27 44 68 | 27 44 61 | 38 48 58 | |
| 27 42 60 | 27 41 60 | 28 43 69 | 28 42 59 | 39 49 59 | |
| 28 41 59 | 28 40 59 | 29 42 70 | 29 46 58 | 40 50 60 | |
| 29 40 58 | 29 39 58 | 30 41 71 | 30 47 57 | 61 67 73 | |
| 30 39 57 | 30 38 57 | 31 51 61 | 31 48 56 | 62 68 74 | |
| 31 38 56 | 31 37 56 | 32 39 73 | 32 49 55 | 63 69 75 | |
| 32 37 55 | 32 36 55 | 33 38 74 | 33 50 54 | 64 70 76 | |
| 33 36 54 | 33 35 53 | 34 37 75 | 34 51 53 | 65 71 77 | |
| 34 35 53 | 34 52 54 | 35 36 76 | 35 52 73 | 66 72 78 |
By a little investigation, any one may discover that his chance for drawing a prize, even of a trifling amount, is extremely small. By the following method any one may ascertain the number of combinations which any given number will produce, as in the present case, 78 × 77 × 76 = 456456 ÷ 6 = 76076, the number of combinations of three numbers each; the 78 multiplied by 77, and the product by 76, and that product divided by 6 gives the number of combinations of three numbers each, which the numbers from 1 to 78 will produce, no two combinations containing the same three numbers.
| 205 | 206 | 207 | 208 | 209 | 210 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1 12 23 | 1 13 25 | 1 14 27 | 1 15 29 | 1 16 31 | 1 17 33 |
| 2 13 24 | 2 14 26 | 2 15 28 | 2 16 39 | 2 17 32 | 2 18 34 |
| 3 14 25 | 3 15 27 | 3 16 29 | 3 17 31 | 3 18 33 | 3 19 35 |
| 4 15 26 | 4 16 28 | 4 17 30 | 4 18 32 | 4 19 34 | 4 20 36 |
| 5 16 27 | 5 17 29 | 5 18 31 | 5 19 33 | 5 20 35 | 5 21 37 |
| 6 17 28 | 6 18 30 | 6 19 32 | 6 20 34 | 6 21 36 | 6 22 38 |
| 7 18 29 | 7 19 31 | 7 20 34 | 7 21 35 | 7 22 37 | 7 23 39 |
| 8 19 30 | 8 20 32 | 8 21 33 | 8 22 36 | 8 23 38 | 8 24 40 |
| 9 20 31 | 9 21 33 | 9 22 35 | 9 23 37 | 9 24 39 | 9 25 41 |
| 10 21 32 | 10 22 34 | 10 23 36 | 10 24 38 | 10 25 40 | 10 26 42 |
| 11 22 33 | 11 23 35 | 11 24 37 | 11 25 39 | 11 26 41 | 11 27 43 |
| 34 45 56 | 12 24 36 | 12 25 38 | 12 26 40 | 12 27 42 | 12 28 44 |
| 35 46 57 | 37 49 61 | 13 26 39 | 13 27 41 | 13 28 43 | 13 29 45 |
| 36 47 58 | 38 50 62 | 40 53 66 | 14 28 42 | 14 29 44 | 14 30 46 |
| 37 48 59 | 39 51 63 | 41 54 67 | 43 55 67 | 15 30 45 | 15 31 47 |
| 38 49 60 | 40 52 64 | 42 55 68 | 44 56 68 | 46 57 68 | 16 32 48 |
| 39 50 61 | 41 53 65 | 43 56 69 | 45 57 69 | 47 58 69 | 49 59 69 |
| 40 51 62 | 42 54 66 | 44 57 70 | 46 58 70 | 48 59 70 | 50 60 70 |
| 41 52 63 | 43 55 67 | 45 58 71 | 47 59 71 | 49 60 71 | 51 61 71 |
| 42 53 64 | 44 56 68 | 46 59 72 | 48 60 72 | 50 61 72 | 52 62 72 |
| 43 54 65 | 44 55 66 | 45 47 73 | 49 61 73 | 51 62 73 | 53 63 73 |
| 44 55 66 | 46 58 70 | 48 61 74 | 50 62 74 | 52 63 74 | 54 64 74 |
| 67 71 76 | 47 59 72 | 49 62 75 | 51 63 75 | 53 64 75 | 55 65 75 |
| 68 72 75 | 48 60 71 | 50 63 76 | 52 64 76 | 54 65 76 | 56 66 76 |
| 69 73 78 | 73 75 77 | 51 64 77 | 53 65 77 | 55 66 77 | 57 67 77 |
| 70 74 77 | 74 76 78 | 52 65 78 | 54 66 78 | 66 67 78 | 58 68 78 |
| 296 | 297 | 298 | 299 | 300 | 301 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 22 |
| 1 18 35 | 1 19 37 | 1 20 39 | 1 21 41 | 1 22 43 | 1 23 45 |
| 2 19 36 | 2 20 38 | 2 21 40 | 2 22 42 | 2 23 44 | 2 24 46 |
| 3 20 37 | 3 21 39 | 3 22 41 | 3 23 43 | 3 24 45 | 3 25 47 |
| 4 21 38 | 4 22 40 | 4 23 42 | 4 24 44 | 4 25 46 | 4 26 48 |
| 5 22 39 | 5 23 41 | 5 24 43 | 5 25 45 | 5 26 47 | 5 27 49 |
| 6 23 40 | 6 24 42 | 6 25 44 | 6 26 46 | 6 27 48 | 6 28 50 |
| 7 24 41 | 7 25 43 | 7 26 45 | 7 27 47 | 7 28 49 | 7 29 51 |
| 8 25 42 | 8 26 44 | 8 27 46 | 8 28 48 | 8 29 50 | 8 30 52 |
| 9 26 43 | 9 27 45 | 9 28 47 | 9 29 49 | 9 30 51 | 9 31 53 |
| 10 27 44 | 10 28 46 | 10 29 48 | 10 30 50 | 10 31 52 | 10 32 54 |
| 11 28 45 | 11 29 47 | 11 30 49 | 11 31 51 | 11 32 53 | 11 33 55 |
| 12 29 46 | 12 30 48 | 12 31 50 | 12 32 52 | 12 33 54 | 12 34 56 |
| 13 30 47 | 13 31 49 | 13 32 51 | 13 33 53 | 13 34 55 | 13 35 57 |
| 14 31 48 | 14 32 50 | 14 33 52 | 14 34 54 | 14 35 56 | 14 36 58 |
| 15 32 49 | 15 33 51 | 15 34 53 | 15 35 55 | 15 36 57 | 15 37 59 |
| 16 33 50 | 16 34 52 | 16 35 54 | 16 36 56 | 16 37 58 | 16 38 60 |
| 17 34 51 | 17 35 53 | 17 36 55 | 17 37 57 | 17 38 59 | 17 39 61 |
| 52 61 70 | 18 36 54 | 18 37 56 | 18 38 58 | 18 39 60 | 18 40 62 |
| 53 62 71 | 55 63 71 | 19 38 57 | 19 39 59 | 19 40 61 | 19 41 63 |
| 54 63 72 | 56 64 72 | 58 65 72 | 20 40 60 | 20 41 62 | 20 42 64 |
| 55 64 73 | 57 65 73 | 59 66 73 | 61 67 74 | 21 42 63 | 21 43 66 |
| 56 65 74 | 58 66 74 | 60 67 74 | 62 68 73 | 64 69 74 | 22 44 65 |
| 57 66 75 | 59 67 75 | 61 68 75 | 63 69 76 | 65 70 75 | 67 71 75 |
| 58 67 76 | 60 68 76 | 62 69 76 | 64 70 75 | 66 71 76 | 68 72 76 |
| 59 68 77 | 61 69 77 | 63 70 77 | 65 71 78 | 67 72 77 | 69 73 77 |
| 60 69 78 | 62 70 78 | 64 71 78 | 66 72 77 | 68 73 78 | 70 74 78 |
Lottery-dealers are aware of the great odds against the buyers, and are very cautious in keeping all the secrets of a fraud to themselves, by which they are robbing the public continually. But it shall not be the fault of the writer of these pages if their swindling machinations are longer concealed from the community. Thousands upon thousands of dollars are expended annually in lottery tickets in this country; and how very seldom is it that you hear of a capital prize having been drawn! If there should chance to be a prize of any magnitude awarded to a ticket-holder, it is trumpeted from one end of the Union to the other, by those most interested in lottery speculations, stimulating others to try their luck, and by that means making their very losses minister to their gain; for, in all likelihood, months and years may elapse before another large prize will be drawn from the same lottery.
| 302 | 303 | 304 | 305 | 306 | 307 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 1 24 47 | 1 25 49 | 1 26 51 | 1 12 24 | 1 13 27 | 1 14 39 |
| 2 25 48 | 2 26 50 | 2 27 52 | 2 13 25 | 2 14 28 | 2 15 38 |
| 3 26 49 | 3 27 51 | 3 28 53 | 3 14 26 | 3 15 29 | 3 16 37 |
| 4 27 50 | 4 28 52 | 4 29 54 | 4 15 27 | 4 16 30 | 4 17 36 |
| 5 28 51 | 5 29 53 | 5 30 55 | 5 16 28 | 5 17 31 | 5 18 35 |
| 6 29 52 | 6 30 54 | 6 31 56 | 6 17 29 | 6 18 32 | 6 19 34 |
| 7 30 53 | 7 31 55 | 7 32 57 | 7 18 30 | 7 19 33 | 7 20 33 |
| 8 31 54 | 8 32 56 | 8 33 58 | 8 19 31 | 8 20 34 | 8 21 32 |
| 9 32 55 | 9 33 57 | 9 34 59 | 9 20 32 | 9 21 35 | 9 22 31 |
| 10 33 56 | 10 34 58 | 10 35 60 | 10 21 33 | 10 22 36 | 10 23 30 |
| 11 34 57 | 11 35 59 | 11 36 61 | 11 22 34 | 11 23 26 | 11 24 29 |
| 12 35 58 | 12 36 60 | 12 37 62 | 23 49 66 | 12 24 25 | 12 25 28 |
| 13 36 59 | 13 37 61 | 13 38 63 | 35 50 65 | 37 51 65 | 13 26 27 |
| 14 37 60 | 14 38 62 | 14 39 64 | 36 51 64 | 38 52 66 | 40 53 78 |
| 15 38 61 | 15 39 63 | 15 40 66 | 37 52 67 | 39 53 67 | 41 54 77 |
| 16 39 62 | 16 40 64 | 16 41 65 | 38 53 69 | 40 54 68 | 42 55 76 |
| 17 40 63 | 17 41 65 | 17 42 67 | 39 54 68 | 41 55 69 | 43 56 75 |
| 18 41 64 | 18 42 66 | 18 43 68 | 40 55 70 | 42 56 70 | 44 57 74 |
| 19 42 65 | 19 43 67 | 19 44 69 | 41 56 71 | 43 57 71 | 45 58 73 |
| 20 43 66 | 20 44 68 | 20 45 71 | 42 57 72 | 44 58 72 | 46 59 71 |
| 21 44 67 | 21 45 69 | 21 46 70 | 43 58 73 | 45 59 73 | 47 60 72 |
| 22 45 68 | 22 46 70 | 22 47 72 | 44 59 74 | 46 60 74 | 48 61 70 |
| 23 46 69 | 23 47 71 | 23 48 73 | 45 60 75 | 47 61 75 | 49 62 69 |
| 70 73 76 | 24 48 72 | 24 49 74 | 46 61 76 | 48 62 76 | 50 63 68 |
| 71 74 77 | 73 76 77 | 25 50 75 | 47 62 77 | 49 63 77 | 51 64 67 |
| 72 75 78 | 74 75 78 | 76 77 78 | 48 63 78 | 50 64 78 | 52 65 66 |
It will be seen by the lottery combinations we present, how infinitely disproportionate are the chances in this species of gambling—how vastly the odds bear against the purchaser of tickets, and what mischievous results must of necessity spring from a vile system of frauds, perpetrated, as it is, by the sanction of law, and the tolerance of custom.
| 308 | 309 | 310 | 396 | 397 | 398 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 1 18 53 | 1 19 53 | 1 20 53 | 1 21 53 | 1 22 45 | 1 23 46 |
| 2 19 54 | 2 20 54 | 2 21 54 | 2 22 54 | 2 23 43 | 2 24 45 |
| 3 20 55 | 3 21 55 | 3 22 55 | 3 23 55 | 3 24 44 | 3 25 55 |
| 4 21 56 | 4 22 56 | 4 23 56 | 4 24 56 | 4 25 56 | 4 26 56 |
| 5 22 57 | 5 23 57 | 5 24 57 | 5 25 57 | 5 26 57 | 5 27 57 |
| 6 23 58 | 6 24 58 | 6 25 58 | 6 26 58 | 6 27 58 | 6 28 58 |
| 7 24 59 | 7 25 59 | 7 26 59 | 7 27 59 | 7 28 59 | 7 29 59 |
| 8 25 60 | 8 26 60 | 8 27 60 | 8 28 60 | 8 29 60 | 8 30 78 |
| 9 26 61 | 9 27 61 | 9 28 61 | 9 29 61 | 9 30 61 | 9 31 77 |
| 10 27 62 | 10 28 62 | 10 29 62 | 10 30 62 | 10 31 62 | 10 32 76 |
| 11 28 63 | 11 29 63 | 11 30 63 | 11 31 63 | 11 32 63 | 11 33 75 |
| 12 29 64 | 12 30 64 | 12 31 64 | 12 32 64 | 12 33 64 | 12 34 74 |
| 13 30 65 | 13 31 65 | 13 32 65 | 13 33 65 | 13 34 65 | 13 35 73 |
| 14 31 66 | 14 32 66 | 14 33 66 | 14 34 66 | 14 35 66 | 14 36 72 |
| 15 32 67 | 15 33 67 | 15 34 67 | 15 35 67 | 15 36 67 | 15 37 71 |
| 16 33 68 | 16 34 68 | 16 35 68 | 16 36 68 | 16 38 71 | 16 38 70 |
| 17 34 69 | 17 35 69 | 17 36 69 | 17 37 69 | 17 37 70 | 17 39 69 |
| 35 44 70 | 18 36 70 | 18 37 70 | 18 38 70 | 18 39 69 | 18 40 68 |
| 36 45 71 | 37 45 71 | 19 38 71 | 19 39 71 | 19 40 68 | 19 41 67 |
| 37 46 72 | 38 46 72 | 39 46 72 | 20 40 72 | 20 41 72 | 20 42 66 |
| 38 47 73 | 39 47 73 | 40 47 73 | 41 47 73 | 21 42 73 | 21 43 65 |
| 39 48 74 | 40 48 74 | 41 48 74 | 42 48 74 | 46 51 74 | 22 44 64 |
| 40 49 75 | 41 49 75 | 42 49 75 | 43 49 75 | 47 52 75 | 47 51 63 |
| 41 50 76 | 42 50 76 | 43 50 76 | 44 50 76 | 48 53 76 | 48 52 62 |
| 42 51 77 | 43 51 77 | 44 51 77 | 45 51 77 | 49 54 77 | 49 53 61 |
| 43 52 78 | 44 52 78 | 45 52 78 | 46 52 78 | 50 55 78 | 50 54 60 |
All the combinations used in this lottery have been given, as also the number that might be made; and, of course, the less the dealer in lotteries makes, the greater the chance in his favor, and the less in favor of the buyer. The figures heading the classes of combinations, on each page, are class-numbers, and those below the first figures, and immediately above the columns, are placed there to indicate the number of packages.
| 399 | 400 |
| 29 | 30 |
| 1 24 53 | 1 25 53 |
| 2 25 54 | 2 26 54 |
| 3 26 55 | 3 27 55 |
| 4 27 56 | 4 28 56 |
| 5 28 57 | 5 29 57 |
| 6 29 58 | 6 30 58 |
| 7 30 59 | 7 31 59 |
| 8 31 60 | 8 32 60 |
| 9 32 61 | 9 33 61 |
| 10 33 62 | 10 34 62 |
| 11 34 63 | 11 35 63 |
| 12 35 64 | 12 36 64 |
| 13 36 65 | 13 37 65 |
| 14 37 66 | 14 38 66 |
| 15 38 67 | 15 39 67 |
| 16 39 68 | 16 40 68 |
| 17 40 69 | 17 41 69 |
| 18 41 70 | 18 42 70 |
| 19 42 71 | 19 43 71 |
| 20 43 72 | 20 44 72 |
| 21 44 73 | 21 45 73 |
| 22 45 74 | 22 46 74 |
| 23 46 75 | 23 47 75 |
| 47 50 76 | 24 48 76 |
| 48 51 77 | 49 51 77 |
| 49 52 78 | 50 52 78 |
Here ends the Thirty Packages of Quarters.
The above are specimens of patterns of playing cards, that the reader may rely upon the gambler’s knowing by their back as well as the generality of amusement players know by their face. The same may be said of all the patterns spoken of and presented to the view of the reader on another page of this work.
[This plate represents a lottery ticket with the numbers placed upon it. The numbers seen upon its face are of the same order as those found upon every ticket when sold, and are used to designate one ticket from another, and by comparing them with the numbers at the head of any of those packages of combinations, on another page, you will see the manner in which they are arranged, and the great advantage in favor of the managers.]
Fallacy of Lotteries as a Means of Revenue
We are indebted for the following exposition to our moral friend, Capt. John Maginn, of New York city.
“Although they may produce, by the various deceptive allurements which they hold forth, a temporary influx into the treasury of the state, yet the prostration of industry, the formation of idle habits, intemperance and various other vices, have invariably been the consequences wherever they have been introduced. No farther evidence of this position is requisite than the fact that in England, where many of the common necessaries of life are heavily taxed, it has been satisfactorily ascertained from observation, that for several days preceding the drawing of a lottery, the consumption of such articles was very materially diminished. It is moreover equally true, that a very small proportion of the tax actually paid, through the purchase of lottery tickets, is available to the state: by far the greater part being absorbed in the expenses, profits, &c., of managers and venders.”
Insuring Numbers, or Policy Dealing
As the system of insuring numbers is at present practised to a fearful extent in this city, and as its votaries are mostly the ignorant and unthinking portion of the community, we proceed to give a plain matter-of-fact investigation of the chances.
There being on the day of drawing a certain number of tickets in the wheel, out of which a particular number of them are to be drawn, it follows that there are so many chances to one against a given number being drawn as the number which are to be drawn are contained in the entire number of tickets in the wheel. To illustrate this practically, suppose you would insure the payment of $100 upon the event of a certain number being drawn from the lottery wheel to-day; suppose it is a 78 number lottery, and that 12 ballots are to be drawn; the chance then is evidently 78/12, or 6.5 to 1 that you lose: accordingly, in order to make the chances equal, you must pay 100/6.5, or $15.38, for insurance: if therefore the insurer should ask $32, there would be about $16 fraud: in other words, you would have to contend against about 100 per cent. The only inducement for the insurer to pursue this vile practice, in defiance of constitutions and laws, is a liberal per centage. This varies from 30 to 70, and even 125 per cent. Under circumstances like these, when the chances of gain are obviously so remote, it would seem incredible that any one endowed with even ordinary sagacity could be so deluded—so desperate—as to adventure; though, sad to relate, hundreds and hundreds in this city daily spend their little all in effecting insurance on numbers, and that, too, at the sacrifice of the common necessaries of life.
Another system of insurance, which we will proceed to analyze, is effected by what is termed a station number. The adventurer selects a number, and declares that it will come out the first or second drawn, or in some other place, for which he pays six cents, and if the number is drawn in the order indicated, he is to receive $2.50. To illustrate this, suppose you select a certain number, which you declare will be the third drawn; suppose also that it is a 78 number lottery, and that there are 12 drawn ballots. In this case there are evidently 78/12 = 6.5 chances to 1 against the selected number being drawn. It is also plain that should it be a drawn number, there are 12 chances to 1 against it being drawn in any particular order; wherefore it follows, that there are 6.5x12 = 78 chances to 1 against the selected number being the third or any other particular drawn number. Accordingly, to equalize the chances, in case of winning you should receive 78x6 = $4.68; hence, under these circumstances the insurer gains $2.18, which is nearly 100 per cent. Again, suppose it is a 98 number lottery, and that you pay 25 cents: here we have 98x25 = $24.50, the sum you ought to receive in case of winning, instead of which you only receive 25/6x2.5 = $10.626; hence the insurer gains $13.975, or more than 125 per cent.
Prof. Goddard on Lotteries
We give below a very able memorial, from the pen of Prof. Goddard, of Brown University, to the Legislature of Rhode Island.
The undersigned, citizens of Rhode Island, have long regarded the lottery system with unqualified reprobation. They believe it to be a multiform social evil, which is obnoxious to the severest reprehension of the moralist, and which it is the duty of the legislator, in all cases, to visit with the most effective prohibitory sanctions. Entertaining these convictions, the undersigned memorialists cannot withhold them from the Hon. General Assembly of Rhode Island. They invoke the General Assembly to exercise their constitutional powers, promptly and decisively, for the correction of a long-continued, and wide-spread, and pestilent social evil. They ask them, most respectfully and earnestly, to withdraw, as soon as may be, all legislative sanction of the lottery system, and to save Rhode Island from the enduring reproach of being among the last States to abandon that system. The memorialists beg leave to disclaim, in this matter, all personal or political considerations. They are seeking neither to help nor to hurt any political party. They contemplate no aggression upon the rights or the character of individuals. They are engaged in no impracticable scheme of moral reform. They have no fondness for popular agitation. They are what they profess to be, citizens of Rhode Island, and it is only in the quality of citizens of Rhode Island, that they now ask the General Assembly to resort to the most operative penal enactments, for the entire suppression of a system which exists, and which can exist only to disgrace the character of the State, and to injure both the morals and the interests of the people. The memorialists are persuaded that a commanding majority of the citizens of every political party entertain sentiments of decided hostility to all lotteries. In praying, therefore, for legislative interposition, they feel that they are not in advance of public opinion, that they are not urging the General Assembly to anticipate public opinion, but only to imbody it; to accelerate its salutary impulses, and to augment its healthful vigour. The constitutional power of the legislature to interfere in the premises being undisputed, the memorialists beg leave to submit, for consideration, a few only of the many reasons which have forced upon their minds the conclusion—that Rhode Island should lose no time and spare no effort in extirpating the lottery system:—a system which has already worked extensive evil within her borders; which is repugnant to a cultivated moral sense; and which has been branded, both as illegal and immoral, by some of the most enlightened governments upon earth. In this connection, it should be stated, that England, and, it is believed, France likewise, have abandoned the lottery system. Some of the most populous and influential States in this Confederacy have abandoned it. Massachusetts has abandoned it; Pennsylvania has abandoned it; New York has abandoned it. Nay more, so hostile were the people of the latter State to the lottery system, that in revising its Constitution a few years since, they adopted a provision which prohibits the Legislature from ever making a lottery grant. These examples are adduced to show the progress of an enlightened public sentiment upon this subject, and to exhibit the grateful spectacle of governments, differently constituted, exercising their powers for the best interests of the people. The evils which the lottery system creates, and the evils which it exasperates, are so various and complicated, that the undersigned memorialists cannot attempt an enumeration. They are so revolting as to furnish no motive for rhetorical exaggeration. A few only of these evils the undersigned memorialists will now proceed to mention.
1. Lotteries are liable to many of the strongest objections which can be alleged against gambling. They have thus far escaped, it is true, the infamy of gambling, but they can plead no exemption from its malignant consequences. Like gamblers, they are hostile—not to say fatal—to all composure of thought and sobriety of conduct. Like gambling, they inflame the imagination of their victims and their dupes, with visions of ease, and affluence, and pleasure, destined never to be realized. Like gambling, they seduce men, especially the credulous and the unthinking, from the pursuits of regular industry, into the vortex of wild adventure and exasperated passions. Like gambling, they ultimately create a necessity for constant vicious excitement. Like gambling, they often lead to poverty and despair, to insanity and to suicide. Like gambling, they furnish strong temptations to fraud, and theft, and drunkenness. Like gambling, they work, in but too many cases, a permanent depravation of all moral principle and all moral habits. This fearful parallel might easily be extended. The picture here presented of the evils of lotteries, however fearful it may seem, is not overdrawn. This picture will be owned as just, by many a bereaved widow and by many a forsaken wife, who trace all their woes to the temptation into which this respectable and legalized species of gambling had betrayed once affectionate husbands. It will be owned as just by many a child, who has been doomed perchance to a heritage of ignorance and poverty, by a father, for whose weak virtue the potent fascinations of the lottery were found too strong. In many respects, the lottery system may be deemed even more pernicious than ordinary gambling. It spreads a more accomplished snare; it is less offensive to decorum; it is less alarming to consciences which have not lost all sensitiveness; it numbers among its participants multitudes of those who ought to blush and to tremble for thus hazarding their own virtue, and for thus corrupting the virtues of others; it draws within its charmed circle men and women who fill up every gradation of age, and character, and fortune.
2. The lottery system, as at present constituted, presents the strongest temptations to fraud on the part of all those who are concerned either in the drawing of lotteries or in the sale of tickets. It is not known that fraud has in any case been perpetrated, though fraud is suspected. If perpetrated, it would be no easy matter to detect it. The ignorant and the credulous men and women, who seek to better their fortunes by gambling in lottery tickets, know nothing of those mystical combinations of numbers, on which their fate is suspended. Utter strangers as they are to all the “business transactions” of the lottery system, if cheated at all, they are cheated without remedy.
3. The lottery system operates as a most oppressive tax upon the community. This tax is paid, not by the rich and luxurious—but it is paid mainly by those who are struggling for independence, and by those who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow—by the servants in our kitchens—by clerks and apprentices, and day-labourers; by mechanics and traders; by the men and women who work in our factories; and in too many instances, it is to be feared, by our hardy yeomanry, who, impatient of the slow profits of agriculture, vainly expect from the chances of the lottery that which is never denied to the efforts of industry. The amount of pauperism and crime, of mental agitation and perchance of mental insanity, which the lottery system must create among these numerous classes, it would not be easy to calculate.
4. Lotteries are the parent of much of the pauperism which is to be found in this young, and free, and prosperous land. It entails poverty upon multitudes directly, by exhausting their limited means in abortive experiments to get rich by “high prizes”—and, yet more, by withdrawing multitudes from a dependence on labour, and accustoming them to hope miracles of good fortune from chance. After repeated disappointments, they discover, when it is too late to profit from the discovery, how sadly they have been duped, and how recklessly they have abandoned their confidence in themselves, and in that gracious Being who never forsakes those who put their trust in him. They sink into despondency, and, seeking to forget themselves, they bring upon their faculties the brutal stupor of intoxication, or they exhilarate them by its delirious gayety. Suicide is often the fearful issue. Dupin ascribes a hundred cases of suicide annually to the lottery system in the single city of Paris. Many years ago a lottery scheme, displaying splendid prizes, was formed in London. Adventures to a very large amount was the consequence, and the night of the drawing was signalized by fifty cases of suicide!
5. Success in lotteries is hardly less fatal than failure. The fortunate adventurer is never satisfied. He ventures again and again, till ruin overtakes him. After all the tempting promises of wealth, which are made by those concerned in this iniquitous system, how very few, except managers of lotteries and venders of lottery tickets, has it ever made rich! and well may it be asked, whom has it ever made more diligent in business, more contented, and respectable, and happy?
6. Lotteries, it is believed, are rendered especially mischievous in this country by the nature of our institutions, and by the spirit of the times. Here, the path to eminence being open to every one—but too many are morbidly anxious to improve their condition; and by means, too, which in the wisdom of Providence were never intended to command success. A mad desire for wealth pervades all classes—it feeds all minds with fantastic hope; it is hostile to all patient toil, and legitimate enterprise, and economical expenditure. It generates a spirit of reckless speculation; it corrupts the simplicity of our tastes; and, what is yet worse, it impairs, not unfrequently, in reference to the transactions of business, the obligations of common honesty. Upon these elements of our social condition and character, the lottery system operates with malignant efficacy.
The undersigned memorialists are far from thinking that, in the preceding remarks, they have exhausted the argument against the lottery system. They have dwelt, in general terms, upon only some of its more prominent evils. They do not allow themselves to believe that, aside from the ranks of those who have a direct personal interest in this system, a man of character could be found in Rhode Island to defend it. The memorialists deem lotteries to be in Rhode Island a paramount social evil. They entreat the General Assembly to survey this evil in all its phases, and then to apply the remedy. The interposition which is now asked at the hands of the Legislature has been delayed too long, either for the interests or for the character of the state. It is time that we protected our interests, and retrieved our character. It is time that the lottery had ceased to be the “domestic institution” of Rhode Island. It is time that we abandoned, and abandoned for ever, the policy of supporting schools, and building churches, with the wages of iniquity. The memorialists are aware that the General Assembly have made lottery grants, which have not yet expired. They seek not in any way to interfere with those grants; but in concluding this expression of their views, they cannot avoid repeating their earnest entreaty that the legislature would come up without unnecessary delay to the great work of reforming an abuse, which no length of time, or patronage of numbers, or policy of state, should be permitted to shelter for another hour.
EXTRACTS from a Report to the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism in the city of New York.
“It is not possible to estimate the sum that may have been drawn from the people by lottery devices. Nor is it possible to estimate the number of poor people that have engaged in lottery gambling. We have been told, that more than two hundred of these deluded people have been seen early in the mornings at the lottery offices, pressing to know their fate. There might be seen the anxiety, the disappointment, and mortification, of unfortunate beings, who had lost their all!
“Thus we see that this demoralizing contagion has spread its destructive influence over the most indigent and ignorant of the community. The injurious system of lotteries opens a wide door to gambling, fraud and imposition; of which the speculating, dishonest, idle, profligate and crafty avail themselves, and deceive the innocent and ignorant.
“If we place this subject in a pecuniary view as it relates to the public funds, the mischievous effect is more obvious. From an estimate, made by a gentleman of accurate calculation, it appears, that the expense, or the amount drawn from the people, to raise by lottery the net sum of 30,000 dollars, amounts to $170,500, including the expense of the managers and their attendants, the clerks and attendants of the lottery offices, the expense of time lost by poor people, and the amount paid the proprietors of lottery offices. This enormous sum is paid for the collection of only 30,000 dollars. This is, therefore, not only the most expensive, but also the most demoralizing method that was ever devised to tax the people.
“Upon the whole view of the subject, your committee are decidedly of opinion, that lotteries are the most injurious kind of taxation, and the very worst species of Gambling. By their insidious and fascinating influence on the public mind, their baleful effect is extended, and their mischievous consequences are most felt by the indigent and ignorant, who are seduced, deceived, and cheated out of their money, when their families are often suffering for the necessaries of life. Their principles are vitiated by lotteries, they are deceived by vain and delusive expectation, and are led into habits of idleness and vice, which produce innumerable evils, and, ultimately, end in misery and pauperism.”
Lottery Combinations
The numbers on lottery tickets are formed by combinations of certain numbers previously agreed upon; as from 1 to 60, 1 to 75, 1 to 78, &c., &c.
Combination consists in taking a less number of things out of a greater, without any regard to the order in which they stand; no two combinations having the same quantities or numbers.
Problem.—To find the number of combinations which can be taken from any given number of things, all different from each other, taking a given number at a time.
Rule.—Take a series of numbers, the first term of which is equal to the number of things out of which the combinations are to be made, and decreasing by 1, till the number of terms is equal to the number of things to be taken at a time, and the product of all the terms.
Then take the natural series 1, 2, 3, &c., up to the number of things to be taken at a time, and find the product of all the terms of this series.
Divide the former product by the latter, and the quotient will be the answer.
How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 78 numbers?
| 78×77×76 = | 456456 and |
| 1×2×3 = | 6 |
| 6)456456 | |
| 76076 | Answer. |
How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 70 numbers?
| 70×69×68 = | 328440 and |
| 1×2×3 = | 6 |
| 6)328440 | |
| 54740 | Answer. |
How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 60 numbers?
| 60×59×58 = | 205320 and |
| 1×2×3 = | 6 |
| 6)205320 | |
| 34220 | Answer. |
How many combinations of 3 numbers can be taken out of 40 numbers?
| 40×39×38 = | 59280 and |
| 1×2×3 = | 6 |
| 6)59280 | |
| 9880 | Answer. |
We have sufficient experience in lottery gambling to assure the community that their whole system is as foul as highway robbery. We purchased a wheel from one of the fraternity in Washington City, and drew in Philadelphia three times, then carried it to Washington, and there demonstrated to the satisfaction of those who witnessed our drawing, that what we asserted was true to the letter. We copy the notices of the American Courier, one of the first papers of our country in the cause of humanity, and ever ready to diffuse that which will promote the happiness and welfare of mankind.
“GREEN’S LOTTERY,
“On Saturday night, drew the prize of fifty dollars for the proprietor, he having declared to the audience the intention of giving them blanks, which he did to the satisfaction of the judges. We have the best authority for stating the belief that his expositions will prove not only interesting, but highly beneficial, in opening the eyes of thousands to the frauds practised in the shape of fairness by the lottery managers.”
After which the editor received the following:—
Frederick, June 9th, 1848.
Dear Sir—Will you oblige some of your readers by giving them an idea of “Green’s” manner of exposition of frauds, as practised by the lottery managers? and by so doing, no doubt but you will confer a favour on many of your subscribers.
Respectfully, B.
A. M’Makin, Esq., Ed. American Courier, Philad.
EXPLANATION.
In obedience to the request of “B,” we have conversed with a gentleman who was one of a committee of the audience to superintend the drawing of “Green’s Lottery” on a recent occasion. He says that the tickets were prepared and distributed precisely after the plan of the regular lottery managers, with the exception that Mr. Green announced to the audience that he had purposely reserved certain combinations of numbers, which he knew by calculation would draw for him the highest prize, and leave for them blanks only!—Each individual in the audience held a ticket, with a different combination of numbers, such as they choose to select from the packages opened to them. The numbers were placed in the wheel precisely in the usual way, the drawing conducted by the committee from the audience, and on the announcement of the drawn numbers it was discovered, sure enough, that the audience had received all blanks, and upon Mr. Green pointing to a package on the table reserved for himself, it was examined by the committee, and lo! there lay the ticket having the combination of numbers drawing the capital prize!—Ed. A.C.
Communicated to the American Courier from Washington, D.C.
Green’s great Consolidated Lottery drew in this city on the 22d inst. The Reformed Gambler astonished a highly respectable audience at his complete exposition of the fraud practised by lottery speculators throughout our Union. Mr. Green stated to the audience that though he wished them to understand the lottery system to be fraught with deception, he did not wish it to be understood that he was competent to make a clear and comprehensive exposition. This was his fourth effort, and he had succeeded in three to the satisfaction of his audience.
He then stated that he would draw from the ternary combination of 42 numbers, and take therefore 8 drawn ballots, being equal to 15 in 75. He then placed in R.H. Gillet’s hand 42 tickets, which he declared contained the drawn numbers, where any 3 numbers should be upon a ticket. Having explained satisfactorily his intentions, he requested Mr. J. Thaw to act as his commissioner, Mr. Thaw being well known as a gentleman of integrity.
Mr. Green then requested Mr. Gillet to mark the numbers from 1 to 42, so that there should be no doubt resting upon the mind of any one that they were the same numbers which should afterwards be drawn out. The tickets were marked, and Mr. Thaw deposited them singly in tin tubes, from 1 to 42. Mr. Thaw then revolved the wheel, mixing them thoroughly; he then drew one at a time, until he drew 8, being the correct drawn ballots. Mr. Green then asked the audience if they had any prizes. Receiving a negative answer, he stated that he could draw one half of the numbers from the wheel and still they should have none, though they had some 400 tickets against his 42. The commissioner continued drawing, the prizes still falling in the manager’s package, and the numbers from 1 to 29 were taken out of the 42 before the audience received a full compliment of 3 numbers on a ticket. The drawing appeared fair; the numbers placed in the wheel were those taken out. The wheel is one Mr. G. purchased from a lottery vender in Washington city. Mr. G.’s explanation of his power to prevent prizes being drawn without his consent appeared very satisfactory. He declared that the managers had it in their power to assort out certain numbers, and by the villany of those concerned in the distribution, were enabled to keep any numbers from the hands of the drawer.
I must own that this exposition of Green’s has taken me altogether by surprise. I did think that the deluded thousands who live on, day after day, in the vain hope of a prize, instead of depending solely upon their industry, skill, and talents, had some remote chance of getting a good drawn number. But, it seems that this is all a delusion, and that lotteries can be “stocked” as well as a pack of cards.