Commonwealth v. Wright
Massachusetts Supreme Court
137 Mass. 250 (1884)
- Written by Alex Hall, JD
Facts
James Wright (defendant) conducted a game in which members of the public paid to select a number. The game operator activated a mechanical device that randomly selected an envelope containing a slip of numbers from a box. If the number selected and paid for by the player matched a number on the slip, the player collected money based on odds agreed upon by the player and the operator. Wright was indicted for conducting a lottery in violation of Massachusetts law. A jury convicted Wright after finding that the game consisted of payment for a chance to win a prize. Wright challenged the decision, arguing that the game did not constitute a lottery because the player’s chances at drawing a winning number were mathematically certain and, therefore, the game contained no element of chance.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Holmes, J.)
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