The lottery is an American institution, and last year people spent upward of $100 billion on tickets. While many play to fantasize about winning a fortune, for others, particularly those on low incomes, it can be a budget drain. Some experts are even urging people to stop buying those tickets.

Lottery prize money comes from ticket sales, and the more tickets sold, the bigger the jackpot. People choose their own numbers or go with the “quick pick” option that lets a ticket machine select a set of random numbers. In addition, players can choose to pay an extra fee for a chance at a bonus ball.

Regardless of the odds, there are some proven strategies for winning the lottery. For example, one expert recommends selecting a combination of low and high numbers. Only 3% of numbers are all even or all odd, so a combination like this could boost your chances of success.

Another strategy is to look at the past history of the lottery you’re playing. Some states publish historical results online, making it easy to track the likelihood of winning a particular prize. You can also try to find patterns in the numbers, such as the date of your birth or a favorite number, and use them as your lucky numbers.

The first European lotteries in the modern sense of the word appeared in 15th-century Burgundy and Flanders, when towns raised money to fortify defenses or aid the poor. Today, state governments promote lotteries as a way to boost revenue without adding an especially onerous burden on the working and middle classes.