Lottery is a form of gambling that involves predicting the correct numbers in a draw to win a prize. Lottery games are regulated by state governments and offer players an alternative to conventional forms of gambling, such as betting on sports or horse races. In the United States, most states have a lottery or two. Several organizations operate lotteries on behalf of state government. Whether the state lotteries are effective in increasing government revenues and providing benefits for the public depends on many factors. Some states have found that the state-run lotteries have had negative effects, such as disproportionately affecting poor people and problem gamblers, while others report positive results.

The casting of lots for decisions and fates has a long history, but the use of lotteries to raise money is much more recent. The first recorded lotteries to offer tickets with prizes in the form of money were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. In those times, lottery proceeds were used to build town fortifications and to help the poor.

State lotteries were introduced in the immediate post-World War II period by states that wanted to expand their social safety net but did not want to increase regressive taxes on working-class and middle-class citizens. Those who promoted the introduction of the lottery were convinced that it would be an effective way to increase government revenue without placing a burden on working families.

The state-run lotteries are run as businesses, and their advertising necessarily focuses on persuading target groups to spend their money on lottery tickets. Because of that, the marketing messages tend to be euphemistic and evoke feelings of wonder and amazement rather than warnings about the regressivity of the system. The messages are designed to obscure the fact that lottery playing is a form of gambling that carries substantial risks for some, especially those with lower incomes.