A lottery is an arrangement in which prizes are allocated by a process that relies entirely on chance. In the US, lotteries are often regulated by state and federal law and are run as business enterprises. They offer a chance to win huge sums of money for a small investment (usually just a few dollars).
Americans spend over $80 Billion on lottery tickets every year. Some of that money could be better spent building emergency savings or paying off credit card debt. Yet, many people feel compelled to purchase a ticket because there is always the sliver of hope that they will be the one lucky winner.
Lotteries have been around for thousands of years. For example, the Old Testament cites an ancient practice of distributing property by drawing lots. Lotteries were also a common form of entertainment during Saturnalian feasts and as dinner party entertainment, like the game of apophoreta in which guests had to draw symbols on pieces of wood to determine who would receive certain foods or other prizes at the end of the evening.
The modern era of state-sponsored lotteries began in the immediate post-World War II period, when states were expanding their social safety nets and needed additional revenue sources. In the years that followed, lotteries grew rapidly as a popular and profitable way to raise public money.
The lottery has long attracted a large and highly concentrated player base that is disproportionately low-income, less educated, nonwhite, and male. These players are a critical constituency for lottery proponents, as are convenience store operators, lottery suppliers, and teachers in states where lotteries are earmarked for education funding.