A lottery is a game where participants pay small amounts for the chance of winning a large prize. Lotteries are often used in public service processes, such as determining who will get a unit in a subsidized housing block or a kindergarten placement at a reputable school. They can also be used for sporting events or financial prizes, in which participants place a wager and are randomly assigned a winner or group of winners. Some people play the lottery because they like the idea of a large payout, while others feel compelled to do so by societal pressure to gamble.
In the United States, most states and Washington, D.C. hold lotteries to raise money for different causes. In FY 2006, Americans wagered $57.4 billion on state lotteries, and the profits were given to various beneficiaries. Table 7.2 shows the breakdown of these payments.
Some of the beneficiaries of state lotteries include education, health, infrastructure, and other social services. In addition, some states use the proceeds to reduce state debts or promote tourism. The origins of lotteries go back centuries, and they are widely used in the modern world. The term is derived from Middle Dutch loterie, and may be a calque on Middle French loterie, itself probably a calque on Middle Dutch loterij “action of drawing lots” (see the entry for draw).
Aside from the irrational human impulse to gamble, there is another factor behind the popularity of lottery games: They offer the prospect of instant riches in an age of inequality and limited social mobility. The majority of players come from the 21st to 60th percentiles of the income distribution, people who have a few dollars left over for discretionary spending and perhaps have a glimmer of hope that the lottery, however improbable, will be their only way up.