Lottery is a form of gambling in which people purchase tickets and are then eligible to win a prize. Prizes can be anything from money to jewelry to a new car. Lotteries have long been popular and were widely used in colonial America to fund private as well as public ventures, including roads, canals, schools, colleges, churches, and even the foundation of Princeton and Columbia Universities.
In 2021, Americans spent over $100 billion on lottery tickets. Despite state claims that it is a painless way to raise money, there are real trade-offs for the people who play. Those who play are disproportionately lower-income, less educated, nonwhite, and male. They also spend a greater percentage of their income on tickets than the average American. The regressive nature of the lottery is obscured by the messages that state lotteries promote, which frame it as fun and harmless and a “game.”
The word lottery comes from the Latin