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FRENCH LOTTERY. |
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sons in eight, of fifty years of age, carried off by apoplexy in the course of the day.
He who would purchase a quaterrne in every lottery, would have an equal chance for the coming up or not of his ticket, but after 376288 drawings, or more than 15678 years. And again, the chance of them who would take a quine, would be after 30103000 drawings, or 1254292 years. If we suppose the lottery to be created at the beginning of the world, there would be more than 99668 to bet against 862, or 300 to 1, that a particular quine would not yet have been drawn.
There do not, and in fact cannot, exist any real means of playing with advantage at any game of chance which is in itself disadvantageous. It is only the avidity of gain carried to an excess to master the free exercise of reason, the vulgar prejudice upon the probability of certain numbers being drawn which have not appeared for a considerable time, or in fact, other superstitious ideas more common than they ought to be in an enlightened age like the present, which inflict mankind with a species of madness, rendering them blind to the risk their fortunes and their happiness incur at these curious games.
The most powerful antidote for this furor, is to extend as much as possible the knowledge of the calculations of chances, and no means should be neglected to render this acquirement popular.
But although the Lottery of France, considered mathematically, presents at the first glance an immense advantage in favour of the Bank, still, in order to pronounce an equitable judgment upon it, due regard must be paid to some particular considerations. It is certain, that if the lottery were full at every drawing, the gain of the bank would be sure, and so considerable, that it would |
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