Lottery is an English word for any scheme for the distribution of prizes by chance. In the 17th century it was common for states to hold lotteries in order to raise money for a variety of public usages. These were popular with the general population, and were hailed as a painless form of taxation.

Many people play the lottery because they like to gamble. And some of them do win, and that’s fine, and they enjoy their winnings. But there is a darker underbelly to lotteries, and that’s the promise that winning the lottery, however improbable it might be, is your only hope of escaping poverty or finding a new life. It’s the kind of lie that feeds into our deepest anxieties and the ugly underbelly of a world that has little room for those who are down on their luck.

The term “lottery” may also refer to:

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Please review the content and contact us if you have any questions.
The earliest evidence of lottery-like games are keno slips from the Chinese Han dynasty (205–187 BC). In modern times, state-sponsored lotteries exist all over the world and dish out cash prizes to winners. Other lotteries award things like units in a subsidized housing complex or kindergarten placements at a particular school. In some cases, the prizes are given in exchange for services, like medical care or employment. These are known as “social” lotteries.