A lottery is a gambling game where participants pay a small amount for the chance to win a larger sum of money. Historically, this type of lottery was organized by governments to raise money for public purposes. The lottery is popular among people who have limited means to make a large investment or for whom the opportunity to purchase an expensive item might otherwise be unavailable. However, some people have a negative view of this activity and argue that it encourages covetousness.
In the story The Lottery, Mr. Summers prepares to conduct the family lottery by filling a box with slips of paper. He chides Mrs. Hutchinson for being late and insists that she open her slip immediately, which is blank. Afterward, the narrator reports that everyone in the household except for Tessie selects a stone. The villagers then converge on her and begin to pelt her.
People play the lottery because they enjoy the thrill of a potentially big payout. They also like the idea that they may improve their lives by winning a large sum of money. The truth, however, is that most people who participate in the lottery are not going to win a large prize. The vast majority of players come from the 21st through 60th percentile of the income distribution, which means that they have a little bit of discretionary money in their pockets to spend on tickets. The problem with this is that it also means that the very poor cannot afford to play the lottery.
