A gambling game or method of raising money, as for some public charitable purpose, in which a large number of tickets are sold and a drawing is held for certain prizes. Also, any scheme for distributing prizes by chance.
Lotteries have long been a popular source of revenue for states. Initially, politicians promoted them as a means to expand the range of state services without having to raise taxes or, worse, cut programs for the poor. That arrangement ended in the 1960s, when inflation and taxes began to dramatically erode the value of lottery winnings.
Today, lotteries have broad popular support and remain the predominant source of state revenues. They also have extensive specific constituencies, including convenience store owners (whose profits depend on lottery sales); suppliers of lottery products (heavy contributions by them to state political campaigns are regularly reported); teachers (in those states in which some of the proceeds are earmarked for education); and state legislators, who quickly get accustomed to the extra revenue.
In addition, the winners themselves have a powerful emotional incentive to play. They are often struggling in life or facing a difficult situation, and they see the lottery as their last, best, or only hope.
People like to gamble, and that’s a major factor in lottery popularity. But there’s more to it than that. There’s the inextricable human urge to try for something that is outside of one’s control. Lotteries appeal to that in us by dangling the promise of instant riches.
