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Numbers game, also known as the numbers racket, the policy racket, the policy game, the Italian lottery, or the (nigger pool). It is an illegal lottery played mostly in poor neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a bettor attempts to pick three digits to match those that will be randomly drawn the following day. In recent years, the "number" would be the last three digits of "the handle"—the amount race track bettors placed on race day at a major racetrack—published in racing journals and major newspapers in New York. A gambler places a bet with a bookie at a tavern or other semi-private place that acts as a betting parlor. A runner carries the money and betting slips between the betting parlors and the headquarters, called a numbers bank or policy bank. The name "policy" is from a similarity to cheap insurance, both seen as a gamble on the future.〔Sifakis, Carl. ''The Mafia Encyclopedia''. Facts on File, 2005, p.336〕 ==History== The game dates back at least to the beginning of the Italian lottery in 1530. "Policy shops," where bettors choose numbers, were in the United States prior to 1860. In 1875, a report of a select committee of the New York State Assembly stated that "the lowest, meanest, worst form ... () gambling takes in the city of New York, is what is known as policy playing." The game was popular in Italian neighborhoods in the United States and known as the "Italian lottery." It was also common in many urban African-American, Irish-American, and Jewish-American communities. It was known in Cuban-American communities as ''bolita'' ("little ball").〔 Holice and Debbie, ''Our Police Protectors: History of New York Police'' (Chapter 13, Part 1 ). Accessed on 4/2/2005 〕 By the early 20th century, the game was associated with poor communities and could be played for as little as $0.01. One of the game's attractions to low-income and working-class bettors was the ability to bet small amounts of money. Also, unlike state lotteries, bookies could extend credit to the bettor. Policy winners could avoid paying income tax. Different policy banks would offer different rates, though a payoff of 600 to 1 was typical. Since the odds of winning were 1,000:1, the expected profit for racketeers was enormous.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Numbers game」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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