Norsk Tipping AS is the national lottery in Norway, located in Hamar. The company offers a wide range of lottery, sports and instant games in the Norwegian market. Norsk Tipping is owned by the Norwegian government and administered by Norwegian Ministry of Culture. Ever since Norsk Tipping started in 1948, the idea has been that the profit from company’s operations would be channelled back to the Norwegian sport and cultural sector. During 60 years of activity, Norsk Tipping have given its profits to such purposes.
History
Football pools were the only game when the Norsk Tipping AS was founded in 1948. At that time organisation was run as a limited company with the Norwegian State holding 40%, the Norwegian Sports Federation 40% and the Norwegian Football Association 20%. The profit was at first shared between sports and research projects. Today the company also raises money for culture causes, and the surplus is divided 50/50 between sports and culture. In 1993 the Norwegian State took full ownership over the company. Norsk Tipping’s website was established in 1999 with results service and daily updating of the information for players. In 2001 after the page was tested Norsk Tipping started to offer its products on the Internet. In November 2005 Norsk Tipping started to provide most of the games via mobile phones.
Games
The company operates the games of chance, Lotto, Viking Lotto, Keno and Joker; the games of skill Tipping and Oddsen, and the scratch game Flax. In addition, the company operates the TV game, Extra, on behalf of the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation. Norsk Tipping also provide the games via mobile phones and Internet. All games from Norsk Tipping except Flax requires the player to be registered and have a playcard.
Lotto
Lotto is a money game established in 1986 and modeled after similar games in other countries. The drawing of numbers is done every week live on NRK. In 2004 Norwegians played Lotto for 3,5 billion Norwegian kroner, making it the largest game in the country. In the pot are 34 numbers, and of these seven are drawn as main series numbers, while three additional numbers are drawn for determining certain consolation prizes. Prizes are awarded for
7 correct numbers
6 correct numbers + at least 1 additional number
6 correct numbers
5 correct numbers
4 correct numbers + at least 1 additional number
Half of the income collected from people participating is distributed back as prizes. Each of the five prizes get a certain percentage of the prize fund, and the money is shared among those eligible. The profit from the lottery is spent on cultural and sports-related activities, formerly research was also funded. In the event that nobody had seven correct numbers, this portion of the prize fund is carried over to next week's draw. The theoretical chance of winning any prize, is 1: 138, while the probability of a person winning first prize is , or 1 in 5,379,616.
