A lottery is a competition based on chance, in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes are given to those holding numbers chosen at random. It is also a common means of raising money for a government, charity, or other public purpose.
The practice of making decisions and determining fates by casting lots has a long history, with the Old Testament instructing Moses to take a census and divide land among the people by lot; and Roman emperors regularly used the lottery to give away property and slaves. Lotteries have a long record in America, where they were used to fund the colonies and a wide variety of other projects. George Washington even sponsored a lottery to raise funds for his war against the French.
Lotteries draw broad public support, especially in states where their proceeds are earmarked for specific public purposes. Studies show, however, that they can be addictive and erode family well-being. In addition, a growing body of evidence shows that lottery revenues are concentrated in high-income neighborhoods and tend to exclude the poor.
The first recorded lotteries were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. Town records of Ghent, Utrecht, and Bruges mention raising money for town walls and fortifications by selling tickets with the promise of cash rewards. Today’s state lotteries are based on these early efforts, but are generally much larger and more sophisticated. The modern lottery is regulated by federal statutes that prohibit the mailing and transportation of promotions or tickets within interstate commerce.