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Portal:Numbers game

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Numbers game

The Numbers game was an illegal lottery run by organized crime. The people who sold the tickets were called "policy dealers" at "policy shops", and the people who moved the money and betting slips between the sales offices and the "bank" were called "runners". In general three numbers are chosen by the person buying a ticket and there could be several drawings in a single day. The winners who chose the correct number would win multiples of their bet.

News articles

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Protection money paid to the police by the "policy shops".
John Albert Morris (1836-1895), created the legal Louisiana Lottery which ended in 1894. His winning numbers would be used in the illegal numbers game in other states.
Police raids in New York City. "Charles Adams, James McGuire, alias Clark; Thomas Tully, John Wilson, or Winson; and Louis and Charles Lindauer were arrested."
A comprehensive explanation of how the lottery tax works.
A comprehensive explanation of how the system works and the slang terms used to avoid detection.
A lottery tax must be paid to sell illegal lottery tickets, those arrested can be charged with not paying the tax. Those paying the tax can be arrested for selling illegal lottery tickets. See also Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.