A lottery is a game in which players buy tickets, select numbers, or let machines randomly spit them out, and win prizes if enough of their numbers match those that are drawn. In the United States, state governments operate lotteries and use the proceeds to fund a range of government services. Lottery games are illegal in some states, but the vast majority of Americans live in states where they can participate.
The drawing of lots to determine ownership and rights is a common practice that goes back thousands of years, as evidenced by the fact that it is documented in ancient documents (Nero was a fan) and throughout the Bible, where it is used to choose everything from who will keep Jesus’ garments after his Crucifixion to who gets to eat the last piece of bread. In the early seventeenth century, it began to show up in Europe in the form of town lotteries and, later, public charity lotteries, like the ones that supported the Jamestown settlement.
In the United States, lotteries are run by state governments that have granted themselves exclusive, monopoly rights to conduct them. These governments have a single mandate to raise funds to support a specific set of government programs, usually education and other services for the poor. As a result, they have garnered broad popular support by convincing voters that the money is being spent for a good cause. This appeal is particularly powerful in times of fiscal stress, when it can counter a message that taxes are too high and programs are being cut.
