Lottery is a type of gambling in which numbers are drawn for prizes. Lotteries have been used in many countries and cultures for centuries. They are often characterized as “voluntary taxes.” Usually, a state government monopolizes the lottery, sets up an agency to run it, and begins operations with a modest number of relatively simple games. Under the pressure of constant demand for additional revenues, the lottery progressively expands its operation in size and complexity.
Lotteries have broad public support. Most states report that a significant percentage of adults play the lottery at least once a year. Lotteries also develop extensive specific constituencies: convenience store operators (who act as the primary retailers); lottery suppliers (they make substantial contributions to state political campaigns); teachers (in those states where lottery revenues are earmarked for education); and state legislators, who quickly become accustomed to the extra revenue.
The casting of lots to determine fates has a long history in human society, and the first public lottery in the West was organized by Augustus Caesar for municipal repairs in Rome. Later, in the 17th century, private and state lotteries were common as a means of raising funds for a variety of projects in England and the American colonies, including building Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, King’s College (now Columbia), and several Boston colleges.
The principal message that lotteries promote is that even if you lose, you can feel good because your money was a “voluntary tax” spent for the greater good. But this claim is misleading. In reality, the vast majority of money outside winnings ends up in the pockets of a few state-sanctioned lottery contractors.
