Lotteries first began and have their roots in ancient China during the Han Dynasty in 205-107 BC, and as wild as it sounds, were likely used to fund state projects like the Great Wall of China! The Romans, at the height of the Roman Empire, are also believed to have held lotteries as a form of entertainment, with the idea later used in the medieval period as well! So, the celebrities of historical periods likely took part in lotteries for entertainment; let’s look at modern-day celebrities and see who is said to enter lottery draws today.
Because lotteries have fascinated people around the world for centuries, many ordinary people have bought tickets to enter draws before, as have celebrities. This included celebrities before they became famous and those who have continued to play after achieving celebrity status.
In this article, BOYLE lotto explores celebrities known to play the lottery and their stories.
Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell, the English television personality, entrepreneur, and record executive, is known to have engaged with lotteries as a form of entertainment. He has said in interviews that he buys entry tickets for draws and has also publicly supported the National Health Lottery.
Simon Cowell owns and runs Syco Entertainment, which is responsible for the global franchise of Got Talent shows. They operate in America, Britain, and Australia, and he also began X factor too, where some of the world’s biggest acts have been found, for example, One Direction, Olly Murs, and the girl band, Little Mix.
Simon has said that he is living his dream and living a peaceful life now that he has his son, too.
George Clooney
George Clooney is known for his roles as an actor in ER and the Ocean’s movie franchise, among many other famous projects. He is also a two-time Academy Award winner and humanitarian, and he co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice with his wife, Amal Clooney.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice works hard to provide free legal support to cases across the world in defence of women’s rights and freedom of speech and operates in more than 40 countries. George Clooney is also more than just an actor; he is also noted for his work as a director and producer.
In 2010, he admitted to playing the lottery and is just one of many famous celebrities to still purchase lottery tickets. George Clooney and Elizabeth Hurley purchased a large sum of lottery tickets in this particular lottery because if they gained the prize, they said that they would donate the funds to assist in the Haiti earthquake relief efforts. It is reported that they bought over 1,000 tickets.
George Cluney has invested the money he has made from acting very wisely, starting his tequila spirit company in 2013, being a long-time ambassador for Nesspresso and even starting his own film production company.
50 Cent
50 Cent’s real name is Curtice James Jackson III, and he is an American musician and rapper who was born to a young mother who passed away when 50 Cent was only eight years old. He was then raised by his grandparents and entered the crime world at a young age before turning to rap and making a successful career for himself.
Today, he is one of the world’s most influential and successful rappers. He was discovered by Detroit rapper Eminem, and 50 Cent has gone on to sell over 30 million albums worldwide. He has earned several accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, 13 Billboard Music Awards, six World Music Awards, and three American Music Awards.
50 Cent is known to take part in the lottery on occasion. He played the Powerball in 2016 and shared the draw on Instagram to his fans and followers
Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe is a politician and the former president of Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe emerged as the prizewinner of the Zimbabwean National Lottery in 2000.
Robert Gabriel Mugabe was born on February 21, 1924, and rose to become one of the most influential and controversial figures in African history. When he became the leader of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, he played a central role in ending colonial rule and became the country’s first Prime Minister in 1980.
Later, he assumed the presidency, holding it from 1987 until his resignation in 2017. Early in his political career, Mugabe was widely celebrated as a revolutionary hero and a champion of education, bringing significant social progress to a country emerging from colonial oppression.
Madonna
Madonna bought 100 tickets to an Italian lottery when she was on tour in 2012, one of the most popular draws in the world.
Madonna won the second-tier prize of €120,000 and used all the money to build a school in Malawi, in the southern part of Africa. Madonna chose to do this as she has close ties with Malawi and has famously adopted four children from the country. Madonna also founded the non-profit Raising Malawi in 2006 and, as a result, opened the first paediatric surgery and intensive care hospital in the country in 2017. Madonna’s deep support for the country has been ongoing for decades now.
Wider celebrity lottery
Aside from the deeper look we have had, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Chris Moneymaker, and Oprah Winfrey have all said that they have played the lottery at some point in their lives. They don’t need to do it for the potential prizes, but more because they like the entertainment and want to partake in the draw and give to charitable causes