The National Lottery was created in 1945 by Grand Ducal Decree and its organisation was entrusted to Duchess Charlotte’s national relief work. The initial aim was to help war victims in Luxembourg. In time, other philanthropic works joined the effort. The beneficiaries included the Luxembourgish Red Cross, the Caritas Foundation and the Social Offices of the municipalities. The first draw of the National Lottery (the resistance draw) took place at the Municipal Circle in Luxembourg in October 1945. The number of draws grew gradually, reaching 12 per year as of 1952. In 1985, the National Lottery launched the first scratch ticket. This new form was extremely successful and replaced the traditional lottery entirely as of 1997. It was the end of an era. Until 1997, each draw was announced by a special poster. The posters were selected through an annual competition. Renowned graphic artists but also amateur artists took part. The draws of the National Lottery, which were real cultural events thanks to their mentoring programme, were held in a different municipality each time. After the draw, for which manual wheels were used until 1976, Luxembourgish artists and singers performed on stage.
