Lottery Types In Usa
It costs you nothing to fantasize about winning the lottery. So join us as we go through 23 statistics about what happens to the winners.
- National Lottery Usa
- Lottery Types In Usa Population
- Online Lottery In Usa
- Lottery Types In Usa Statistics
Winning the lottery is a fantasy for most people, but that doesn't stop Americans from spending close to $70 billion a year on tickets and wasting most of it.
If the lure of the lottery has you daydreaming about spending your days on a tropical island somewhere, check out these 23 incredible statistics on hitting it big.
New York Lottery players have a multitude of choices, including Mega Millions, Powerball, New York Lotto, Cash4Life, Pick 10, Take 5, Numbers (Midday, Evening), and Win 4 (Midday, Evening). Can I keep my identity anonymous if I win? The lottery ticket types with the best chances of winning. Picture: The Lott Source:Supplied Almost half of all Australian adults are expected to have a ticket for tonight’s record-breaking.
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WHO PLAYS, WHO WINS?
- What are the odds of winning the lottery?
Lottery winners make headlines pretty regularly but in reality, people aren't taking home the prize as often as you think. Statistically, the odds of winning are about 1 in 175 million. - Which state sells the most lottery tickets?
The Empire State boasts the highest volume of lottery sales annually. New Yorkers are shelling out more than $9 billion a year to try their luck in the lotto. - Which state sells the least?
If you're looking for people who've been bitten by lottery fever, North Dakota is one state you'll want to cross off your list. In 2014, residents racked up a measly $26.95 million in lottery purchases. - What's the largest lottery jackpot ever won?
The biggest haul ever recorded for a Mega Millions jackpot is a whopping $656 million, which was split by three winners in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland back in 2012. The largest Powerball jackpot came a year later, when a single Florida winner took home $590 million. - What amount of lottery winnings goes unclaimed each year?
Just because people are winning the lottery doesn't mean they're walking away with a load of cash. It's estimated that as much as $800 million in winnings are left on the table every year. - Do men or women play the lottery more often?
There's a pretty distinct difference in the gambling behaviors between the sexes. According to one study, men play the lottery every 18 days versus every 11 days for women. - What age group plays the most?
Taking a chance on winning the lottery is something you're more likely to do when you're young. Approximately 70% of 20- and 30-somethings buy at least one lottery ticket a year compared to 45% of seniors age 70 or older.
HOW THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR WINDFALL
- How much money do lottery winners give away to friends and family?
Spending millions of dollars all on your own is not as much fun as sharing the wealth. A study of 3,000 British winners who won $1 million or more found that a staggering $1.8 billion was handed over to friends and family. - How much do winners spend on vacations?
Hopping on a jet and heading off on a luxury vacation is a lot easier when you've got millions in the bank. That same study of millionaire winners found that they spent some $33 million on vacations, with the average trip costing around $11,000. - How many new homes are purchased by lottery winners?
Buying or building a new home or a second home is something plenty of winners do. The 3,000 winners in the British study bought nearly 8,000 new homes and paid off 3,700 mortgages for friends or family members. - How often are lottery winners buying new cars?
In addition to homes, the winners in the British study also snapped up more than 17,000 new cars, with an average purchase price of a cool $73,000. The most popular brand? Audi, with Range Rover coming in a close second. - How many lottery winners go broke within 5 years?
Winning the lottery is a long shot but holding on to the money is the real challenge. In one study of Florida winners, 70% of them had spent every last dime of their jackpot within 5 years of winning. - What percentage of lottery winners eventually file for bankruptcy?
It's hard to imagine filing for bankruptcy after winning thousands or even millions of dollars, but that's exactly what happens in some cases. Statistically, 1% of lottery winners in the Florida study went bankrupt annually. - Are big winners more likely than small winners to lose it all?
Winning more or less money doesn't impact the odds of going broke in the long term. In the Florida study, winners who took home between $50,000 and $150,000 were half as likely to file bankruptcy in the first two years, but once they got to the 3- to 5-year mark, the frequency was the same.
MONEY AND HAPPINESS
- What percentage of people say winning the lottery made them happier?
Suddenly finding yourself on the receiving end of millions of dollars can certainly boost your mood, at least temporarily. In one survey, 75% of respondents reported feeling happier after winning the lottery. - What's the most common reason for their increased happiness?
That same survey also showed that financial security is the number one reason for an uptick in happiness among lottery winners. Nearly 90% said they were more content because they no longer had to worry about making ends meet. - What percentage of winners say they're neither more nor less happy?
For 21% of lottery winners, coming into money didn't change their outlook on life. Among those who reported no change in their happiness levels, 71% said they were already happy before the lottery came along. - What percentage say their happiness levels have gone down since winning?
Money can't buy happiness, at least not for the 3% of lottery winners who say they've become less satisfied since their net worth increased. The reason? New pressures associated with their skyrocketing wealth.
DOES WINNING CHANGE YOU?
- How common is divorce among lottery winners?
Money is one of the most common topics couples fight about, but when it comes to the lottery, it actually seems to hold marriages together. The divorce rate post-winning increases only marginally by 3%. - What percentage of people say they'd keep their jobs if they won?
If you think winning the lottery is an automatic out from the 9 to 5 grind, think again. According to a Gallup poll, 67% of Americans say they'd keep working even if they were handed a $10 million prize. - How many lottery winners actually stay at their jobs?
Your views about working as a lottery winner change somewhat when it becomes a reality. In another survey of winners, only 52% of participants still had a job or were self-employed. - How does winning the lottery affect your political views?
One unintended side effect of winning the lottery is how it shapes your ideological outlook. One study found that 18% of lottery players changed their political affiliation after winning, with 45% of people overall choosing a more conservative slant. - Does winning make you choose healthier habits?
With the exception of smoking, winning the lottery doesn't deter people from minding their health. Approximately 41% of winners exercise multiple times per week and 68% of them steer clear of cigarettes.
FINAL WORD
There's more to the lottery than just a giant check. For some people, winning the lottery is a big blessing but for others, life continues much as it always has. Ultimately, whether winning turns out to be a dream come true or a total bust all comes down to how savvy the winners are when it comes to managing their newfound wealth.
Sources and References:
- NASPL
- Huffington Post
- Mega Millions
- Powerball
- CNN
- National Institute of Health
- Camelot Group
- MIT Press Journals
- World Database of Happiness
- Gallup
Rebecca Lake is a journalist at CreditDonkey, a personal finance comparison and reviews website. Write to Rebecca Lake at rebecca@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.
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What is a green card?
A green card allows a non-U.S. citizen to gain permanent residence in the United States. Many people from outside the United States want a green card because it would allow them to live and work (lawfully) anywhere in the United States and qualify for U.S. citizenship after three or five years.
Every year, the U.S. government issues more than a million green cards. Most are given to family members of U.S. citizens and current green card holders, followed by workers from other countries seeking employment in the United States as the next biggest group of recipients.
Boundless can help spouses of U.S. citizens with their marriage-based green card application. We turn all the required government forms into simple questions you can answer online — typically in under two hours. Learn more, or get started today!.
Not sure if you qualify for a marriage-based green card?
Start by checking your eligibility.
Types of Green Cards
There are many categories of green cards. The most common types are:
Each of these is covered in more detail below.
Close relatives of U.S. citizens and current green card holders may apply for family-based green cards of their own. Eligible family members include spouses, children, parents, and siblings (as well as the spouses and children of those spouses, adult children, and siblings).
Also included in this category are widows and widowers who were married to a U.S. citizenat the time the citizen died. Like spouses of living U.S. citizens and current green card holders who apply for a marriage-based green card, widows and widowers must prove that their marriage was authentic in order to receive a green card.
Many extended family members — cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents — do not qualify. They may apply for a green card only if they, too, have a closer relative who is a U.S. citizen or current green card holder (or qualify for one of the other types of green cards below).
Boundless can help you obtain a marriage-based green card. We make it easy to complete your green card application and avoid common problems. Learn more about what Boundless does, or start your application today.
Employment-Based Green Card
Within the employment-based green card category, multiple subcategories of workers can apply for permanent residence. In some cases, their spouses and children may qualify for a green card, as well.
The following table lists the employment-based subcategories and the types of jobs that fall under them:
| Category | Jobs included |
|---|---|
| Priority workers (EB-1) |
|
| Professionals with advanced degrees and exceptional abilities (EB-2) |
|
| Physicians (EB-2 with a special waiver) |
|
| Skilled, unskilled, and professional workers (EB-3) |
|
| Special workers (EB-4) |
|
| Investors (EB-5) |
|
*Extraordinary ability is demonstrated “through sustained national or international acclaim. Your achievements must be recognized in your field through extensive documentation,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
**Exceptional ability refers to “a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered” in your field.
Qualified Boundless customers can begin the marriage green card application process today and pay Boundless — plus their government filing fees — over 6 months, paying only $190 per month! Learn more.
For refugees and asylees
People who fear, or have experienced, persecution in their home country — because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group — can seek protection in the United States by applying for a visa from abroad (to come as refugees) or from within the United States (to remain as asylees).
Once they have physically lived in the United States for at least one year since receiving refugee status or asylum, they may apply for a green card. Children and spouses (and in some cases, other family members) of refugees and asylees may also seek protection in the United States under these programs and eventually apply for a green card.
For human-trafficking victims
Victims of human trafficking who are living in the United States — whether lawfully or unlawfully (in other words, “undocumented”) — may apply for a T visa to stay in the United States for up to four years. As a condition of the T visa, however, they must help to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking (unless the victim is under age 18, in which case they need not help with such efforts).
To qualify for a green card, the applicant must have physically lived in the United States for one of the following periods, whichever is shorter:
- Three years since receiving a T visa
- The duration of an investigation or prosecution of human trafficking
They must also meet other eligibility requirements. These include, for instance, demonstrating “good moral character” (meaning they have not committed certain crimes, such as fraud, prostitution, or murder) from the time they received a T visa until they’re approved for a green card. As another example, they must demonstrate to the U.S. government that they would suffer extreme hardship involving severe harm if they were required to leave the United States. (USCIS provides the full list of eligibility criteria.)
Certain family members will also be eligible to apply for their own green cards as long as both those relatives and the victim satisfy all requirements.
For crime victims
Victims of “substantial physical or mental abuse” who are living in the United States — whether lawfully or unlawfully (in other words, “undocumented”) — may seek protection by applying for a U visa. To obtain a U visa, the victim’s application must be certified by a law enforcement agency. Like recipients of T visas (see above), an applicant for a U visa must also agree to help investigate and prosecute people who commit certain crimes, such as kidnapping, sexual assault, and torture.
To qualify for a green card, however, the applicant will need to fulfill other eligibility requirements, including the following examples:
- They must have physically lived in the United States for at least three years since receiving a U visa.
- They must not have left the United States from the time they applied for a green card until USCIS has approved (or denied) their application.
- They must not have refused to help investigate or prosecute certain crimes from the time they received a U visa until USCIS approves (or denies) their green card application.
The victim’s children, parents, siblings, and spouse will also be eligible to apply for their own green cards as long as both those relatives and the victim satisfy all requirements.
For abuse victims
Victims of domestic violence (battery or extreme cruelty) may apply for a green card that would allow them to seek relief through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Although this law was created to benefit women, it applies to both women and men, and both parents and children, who are victims of abuse.
An abuse victim may apply for a green card on their own — without the knowledge or permission of their abusive relative, who can include:
- A current or former spouse who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- A parent who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- A child who is a U.S. citizen
USCIS will not notify the abusive relative of the application in order to keep the victim safe. (Full eligibility requirements are detailed on the USCIS website.)
IMPORTANT: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse now, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline right away at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). You’ll be able to talk with someone about available resources, such as shelters, mental health care, and legal assistance. The hotline also provides information about green cards through VAWA.
Diversity Lottery Green Card
Under the U.S. “green card lottery” (officially known as the “Diversity Visa Lottery Program”), the U.S. government every year randomly selects up to 50,000 people from a pool of entries it receives from six geographic regions, such as Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Only people from countries that have had little immigration to the United States in the past — for example, Algeria, Lebanon, and Slovakia — may enter the lottery. (See the full list of countries whose citizens are eligible or ineligible for the 2020 lottery.) The share of green cards distributed to any one country is capped at 7%.
National Lottery Usa
Most lottery applicants live in their home countries at the time they cast their entries, but some already live in the United States under a different type of immigration status.
Individuals who have physically lived in the United States — lawfully or unlawfully (meaning you were “undocumented”) — since January 1, 1972 may apply for a green card through a special process called “registry.”
To qualify for a green card through registry, the individual must meet all of the following criteria:
- They entered the United States before January 1, 1972, which they would need to prove by providing an I-94 travel record (officially called the “Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record”).
- They have not left the United States since arriving.
- They have “good moral character,” meaning they have not committed certain types of crimes, such as fraud, prostitution, or murder (see more info on “Good Moral Character“).
- They’re eligible for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
- They have not committed crimes that would make them “deportable” (able to be sent back to their home country). Examples of such violations include drug abuse, smuggling, and marriage fraud (marrying a U.S. citizen or green card holder to obtain a marriage-based green card).
- They have not committed crimes that would make them “inadmissible” (meaning they cannot receive a green card). Examples of such violations include entering the United States unlawfully and staying more than six months in the United States with an expired visa.
Lottery Types In Usa Population
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Other Green Cards
The U.S. government issues many other types of green cards besides the ones discussed above. Some of these include green cards for “special immigrants,” including media professionals, religious workers, Afghanistan and Iraq nationals who have served the U.S. government under certain capacities, and other types of workers who have served in an international organization. Others include green cards for Cuban citizens and American Indians born in Canada.
USCIS provides a list of these other green card types and their eligibility requirements.
Online Lottery In Usa
If you’re considering applying for a marriage-based green card, Boundless can help. We make it easy to complete your application by turning government requirements into simple questions you can answer online. Learn more, or let’s begin!