Lottery is a form of gambling where numbers are drawn at random to determine a prize. While some governments outlaw it, most endorse it and regulate its operation. Those who run state lotteries often find their decisions and operations scrutinized by both critics and supporters alike, yet few state lottery officials have a coherent public policy on which to base their decisions and actions. Instead, they must rely on the ongoing evolution of lottery operations to guide them, and the decisions that result.
There is a certain inextricable human impulse to gamble, and lotteries play off that. However, there is much more going on than just that. Lotteries dangle the promise of instant riches in an age of inequality and limited social mobility, and they know that they have a captive audience.
The first records of lottery-like games come from the Low Countries in the 15th century, with towns using them to raise money for town fortifications, as well as to help the poor. These early lotteries were not the modern types of games we are familiar with, but rather were a sort of dinner entertainment that took place toward the end of the meal, in which each guest was given a ticket for a drawing. Prizes were typically fancy items that the guests could take home.
It was in the 18th century that lotteries gained popularity in America, with George Washington sponsoring one to build a road across the Blue Ridge Mountains. They were also used in the American colonies to finance public works projects and education. Even though the amount of money raised by lotteries is quite small in the context of overall state revenue, they continue to enjoy broad public approval. This is largely because people perceive the proceeds as benefiting a specific public good, and this argument is particularly effective in times of economic stress.