A lottery is a game of chance in which numbers are drawn at random for a prize. It is a common form of gambling, with some governments outlawing it and others endorsing it to the point of organizing a national or state lottery. Some people use the lottery to try to improve their financial prospects, but the odds of winning are quite low.

The modern lottery has a relatively short history. It originated in the Low Countries during the fifteenth century, when towns used it to raise money for town fortifications and to help the poor. It became more widespread in America during the nineteen-sixties, coinciding with a decline in the security of middle-class working Americans. As inflation accelerated, health-care costs rose, and income inequality widened, the American dream that hard work and savings would pay off in wealth and opportunity lost credibility with many.

The popularity of lotteries is rooted in the idea that the proceeds serve some sort of public good, such as education. This rationale is especially powerful in times of economic stress, when the prospect of tax increases or cuts to social programs looms large. But it is also a compelling argument in periods of relative prosperity, when state governments are not facing pressing fiscal pressures. Indeed, research by Clotfelter and Cook finds that the actual fiscal condition of a state does not appear to have much impact on whether or when it adopts a lottery.