Store owner tried to scam woman out of lottery winnings Posted:Sun, 20 May 2012 11:23:31 GMT A woman was almost scammed out of her lottery winnings by the convenience store where she bought the ticket, according to Louisiana Lottery officials.  >> Read more... Vermont Lottery announces new 'Play It Again' program Posted:Fri, 18 May 2012 16:11:53 GMT The Vermont Lottery announced today that it will launch a new program, Play It Again, in June, as a new way to participate in second chance drawings.  >> Read more... Two workers in lottery pool sue over $118 million ticket Posted:Thu, 17 May 2012 13:42:24 GMT Two employees of a Chicago Heights, Illinois, bakery are suing co-workers over a $118 million Mega Millions jackpot, alleging they were unfairly left out of the winnings.  >> Read more... Michigan couple killed after lottery win Posted:Wed, 16 May 2012 17:58:59 GMT Police in Michigan are investigating the stabbing death of a couple, and family members believe they were killed over a winning lottery ticket.  >> Read more... Bell Helicopter employees win $28 million lottery jackpot Posted:Wed, 16 May 2012 14:02:21 GMT A $5 weekly investment in a lottery office pool has paid off for a group of Bell Helicopter employees in Fort Worth, Texas.  >> Read more... See all lottery news

What are they, where to get them and… are they real?

Wherever you go, people are fascinated by “lucky numbers.” And for good reason! All around the world, lucky numbers have a different significance to each culture. In some places, they represent good will, fortune, and celebration. In China, they are sometimes used for gift-giving purposes. For example, giving a pair of gifts (rather than 1 or 3) signifies harmony.

In the United States, the fascination with lucky numbers goes even further. Just take a look at the wide variety of number-based games (often paying big money for having the right numbers), and you'll see why so many people are looking to get lucky.

Popular games based on lucky numbers include:

• Lotteries
• Roulette
• Drawings
• Keno
• Poker
• Craps
• Dice games
• Blackjack / 21
• Bingo

When gambling is involved, those who have the luckiest numbers stand to walk away with the most money. In the U.S., multi-state lotteries often have jackpots over $100 million – some as high as $300 million.

Beyond the lottery – lucky numbers for life?

Many people consider numbers to be lucky for more reasons than just lotteries. Those who find a special meaning in some numbers will use those numbers to make everyday decisions in their lives: how many apples do I buy? Which checkout aisle should I choose? What date should I get my surgery?

As you might expect, sometimes having lucky numbers is more about NOT having the UN-lucky numbers.

Where do you find lucky numbers?

Lucky numbers are everywhere. In fortune cookies. On the news. In winning lottery-number statistics. There are even websites that can generate lucky numbers for you.

But in reality, lucky numbers are sometimes whatever you make them to be. Look for patterns. Watch for repeats in strange (or ordinary) places. Is the number 22 popping up wherever you go? Who knows, that could be one of your lucky numbers. In the end, maybe you shouldn't be asking, “are they real?” – but instead, “Are you feeling lucky?”

Fun Lucky Number Facts

• In 2002, John Travolta starred in the movie 'Lucky Numbers” about a TV weatherman who scams a local lottery.
• In China, lucky numbers are based on words that have pronunciations similar to other words. For example, the number 2 (pronounced “Er”) is believed to have an auspicious meaning because it sounds similar to a word that means harmony.
• In many U.S. cities, many older buildings do not have a 13th floor (they skip it and number it 14 instead), because it is believed to be unlucky.