According to the Xinhua News Agency, the Brazilian government’s lotteries’ earnings totaled a record 5.7 billion reais, or about $2.45 billion, last year -- up 10 percent from the previous year.
Caixa Economica Federal, the state-owned bank that controls the lottery system, said the amount given to social projects increased 6 percent, and 2.72 billion reais, or $1.17 billion, were distributed to the federal government and non-governmental organizations, reported the news agency.