lottery
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lottery
A game of chance in which you buy tickets and can win money or other prizes through a random drawing.
Sie hat mit einem einzigen Los in der Lotterie den Hauptpreis gewonnen.
She won the grand prize in the lottery with a single ticket.
lottery
In a figurative sense, a situation or undertaking whose outcome is completely uncertain and dependent on chance.
Die Jobsuche in dieser Branche ist eine reine Lotterie.
The job search in this industry is a complete lottery.
In the literal sense, 'Lotterie' (lottery) is often used with the verbs 'spielen' (to play) and 'gewinnen' (to win). The usual preposition is 'in' with the dative.
Er spielt jede Woche in der Lotterie, hat aber noch nie etwas Großes gewonnen.
He plays the lottery every week, but he has never won anything big.
In the figurative meaning, the structure 'etwas ist eine (reine) Lotterie' (something is a complete lottery) is often used. This expresses that the outcome of something depends entirely on chance.
Einen Parkplatz in der Innenstadt zu finden, ist eine reine Lotterie.
Finding a parking space downtown is a complete lottery.
You can recognize the literal meaning from words like 'Los' (ticket), 'spielen' (to play), or 'gewinnen' (to win). The figurative meaning usually describes an abstract situation and is often combined with the verb 'sein' (to be).
Ich habe mir ein Los für die Weihnachtslotterie gekauft.
I bought a ticket for the Christmas lottery.
lottery
In Lotto, you choose specific numbers and win if they match the numbers drawn. In a Lotterie, by contrast, you buy tickets, and the winners are selected at random from those tickets. For the well-known game involving a number prediction, Lotto is therefore the appropriate term.
Bei der Lotterie kauft Nina jede Woche ein Los für die Ziehung.
Nina buys a ticket for the drawing every week in the lottery.
Beim Lotto tippt Nina jede Woche dieselben sechs Zahlen.
Nina picks the same six numbers every week in the lottery.
