Lottery is a game or event in which tickets are sold for a chance to win a prize, usually money. The winners are chosen by random selection or a drawing of numbers. In some lotteries, the prize amount is fixed (such as a percentage of receipts), while others give away items that have been donated. A lottery is considered gambling because the odds of winning are based on luck, and players risk something of value in the hope of getting more than they lose.

While the term “lottery” is generally used to refer to state-sponsored games, private lotteries are also common and can be quite lucrative. The history of the modern lottery begins in Europe with the low-country lotteries in the 15th century, when towns raised funds for fortifications and the poor. Francis I of France introduced state-sponsored lotteries to help fund his wars, and the games grew in popularity.

The modern state lotteries are a major source of state revenue, with some states taking in more than $25 billion in 2021. This is a significant sum, but it’s important to note that the vast majority of these dollars are from lower-income people. One in eight Americans play the lottery, and they are disproportionately low-income, less educated, and nonwhite.

Despite the large sums of money that state lotteries bring in, they are not a great way to raise taxes. The reason is that lotteries are regressive; they are not only bad for those who have a disproportionate share of the winnings but also for the people who buy the tickets. The messages that lottery commissions rely on are that playing the lottery is fun, and that it’s your civic duty to do so in order to support the state.