Vintage French Lottery Posters From Between the 1930s and ’50s
King Francis I of France, inspired by Italian lotteries, established the first French lottery, the Loterie Royale, in 1539 to aid state finances, but it failed due to high ticket costs and opposition from affluent social classes.
However, from 1757 to 1836, the French state ran a successful lottery to fund the École Militaire, ensuring profitability by setting payoffs that minimized the likelihood of state losses.