A lottery is a form of gambling where people bet small sums of money against each other for the chance to win a large sum. Many state governments have lotteries, and the money raised can be used for a variety of purposes in public services. While some critics call lotteries addictive and a poor form of gambling, there are many people who use their winnings to change their lives.
The word “lottery” has roots in Middle Dutch loterie, meaning the act of drawing lots, and is a calque on Middle French loterie, which in turn likely comes from the Latin verb lotrere, to divide. Historically, the term has been used to refer to any contest that involves a random selection of winners. In the United States, most state lotteries are based on drawing numbers to select winners for prizes, but some state governments also run non-lottery contests, such as raffles and games of skill.
In the immediate post-World War II period, when many states were expanding their array of services without imposing especially onerous taxes on middle and working class citizens, some of them started lotteries in an attempt to bring in some extra revenue. But it’s worth asking whether that extra revenue is actually worth the cost to people who buy tickets.
Some states have paid huge fees to private advertising companies to boost lottery sales. And while the vast majority of lotteries are operated by state governments, a few are run by private businesses such as clubs and casinos. The federal government has not been a major player in the lottery industry, although it does regulate state-sponsored lotteries.
Lottery is a big business, with Americans spending upwards of $100 billion on tickets each year. And while the odds of winning are long—it’s statistically more probable that you will be struck by lightning or become a trillionaire than it is to win the Powerball jackpot—states promote the games because they offer easy ways to raise money for government services.
But there’s a lot more going on than just that. I’ve talked to a lot of people who play the lottery, people who have played for years, and they don’t deny that the odds are bad. They may have all sorts of quote-unquote systems that aren’t backed up by scientific reasoning about lucky numbers and buying tickets at certain stores or times of the day, but they know they’re playing a game with bad odds.
These people understand the value of what the lottery offers them, even though it’s irrational and mathematically impossible: hope. Because if they can just make it to the next drawing, there might be some real luck in store. And that might be enough to make it all worth it. — By Mark Kantrowitz, Contributor. Read more of his work on NerdWallet.