Lottery is a game in which participants buy tickets for a group of numbers, or have machines randomly spit them out, and win prizes if enough of their numbers match those drawn. Historically, lottery prizes have ranged from money to goods to slaves. The earliest known lotteries in the world were held in the Low Countries, where town records from the 15th century describe raising funds for a variety of public purposes, such as building walls and town fortifications and helping the poor.

Lotteries are popular in America because they provide states with revenue that can be spent on public services without much political friction. In fact, the evolution of state lotteries is a classic example of policy making in the fragmented way that governments often operate, with little or no overall overview and with authority divided between legislative and executive branches. The result is that lottery officials frequently inherit policies and a dependence on revenues that they can do little to change.

In addition, the promotion of a gambling enterprise in the context of public service has many unintended consequences. For instance, the emphasis on winning large sums of money encourages people to spend more than they can afford on ticket purchases. This in turn can increase the burden on families and employers who are forced to pick up the tab. It can also promote the myth that winning the lottery is a meritocratic endeavor, a belief that everyone should try to get rich through hard work and luck.