At this time England was seeking to expand its export markets around the world. The lottery was intended to raise money for the enormous costs of building ships and developing ports. Tickets cost ten shillings each – far too much for the ordinary citizen to afford.
The first prize was an amazing £5000, which was paid partly in ‘ready money’ and partly in plate, tapestries and ‘good linen cloth’.
This lottery is different in many ways from the modern ones found in the United States and England, partly because of the cost of a ticket. While many lotteries these days are heavily marketed toward people with low-income salaries, the Queen’s lottery targeted the upper class—indeed, the majority of English citizens in the mid-16th century wouldn’t have been able to afford the 10 shillings price per ticket, according to the British Library. Not only did it cost a lot of money, but the pool was limited to 400,000 tickets. And the lucky winner wouldn’t just receive £5,000 in cash, but also goods like plate, tapestries and “good linen cloth.”
To encourage as many people as possible to buy tickets, all ticket holders were promised freedom from arrest for all crimes other than murder, felonies, piracy or treason.
To sweeten the deal even further, Queen Elizabeth announced that all participants would be granted immunity from arrest, so long as the crime wasn’t piracy, murder, felonies, or treason, the British Library reports.
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At this time England was seeking to expand its export markets around the world. The lottery was intended to raise money for the enormous costs of building ships and developing ports. Tickets cost ten shillings each – far too much for the ordinary citizen to afford.
The first prize was an amazing £5000, which was paid partly in ‘ready money’ and partly in plate, tapestries and ‘good linen cloth’.
This lottery is different in many ways from the modern ones found in the United States and England, partly because of the cost of a ticket. While many lotteries these days are heavily marketed toward people with low-income salaries, the Queen’s lottery targeted the upper class—indeed, the majority of English citizens in the mid-16th century wouldn’t have been able to afford the 10 shillings price per ticket, according to the British Library. Not only did it cost a lot of money, but the pool was limited to 400,000 tickets. And the lucky winner wouldn’t just receive £5,000 in cash, but also goods like plate, tapestries and “good linen cloth.”
To encourage as many people as possible to buy tickets, all ticket holders were promised freedom from arrest for all crimes other than murder, felonies, piracy or treason.
To sweeten the deal even further, Queen Elizabeth announced that all participants would be granted immunity from arrest, so long as the crime wasn’t piracy, murder, felonies, or treason, the British Library reports.