Lottery is a game in which people buy numbered tickets and prizes are awarded to those who have the winning numbers. It’s also a metaphor for anything that depends on chance—like, for example, which judges are assigned to a case. The word comes from the Dutch verb lote, which means drawing lots or choosing by chance.

Most states have lotteries, but it’s not clear what the purpose of these games is. Many believe that they help state governments get by without having to raise taxes on working people. The reality is that, in fact, they’re often regressive and the odds of winning are very low. And yet, the lottery is still hugely popular. People play for the excitement, but they also feel like it’s their last, best, or only shot at a better life.

In general, states legislate a lottery monopoly; hire a public corporation to run it; start with a small number of relatively simple games; and then, to maintain or increase revenues, introduce new ones. But the process of doing so is typically very piecemeal, and public officials rarely have a clear overview or perspective on the industry as a whole.

And as a result, the resulting policy is erratic and unrestrained by any general concerns or priorities. For example, it’s been typical for revenues to grow rapidly in the first few years after a lottery’s launch, then level off and even decline. To keep the pot full, lotteries must introduce new games that offer lower prize amounts but higher frequencies of winning.