Lottery is a form of gambling in which numbered tickets are sold for the chance to win a prize, typically money. The term is also used more generally to refer to any competition based on chance, especially as a means of raising funds for public or charitable purposes. Lotteries have been around for centuries, and they played an important role in early American history, including paving streets, building wharves, and funding the settlement of the colonies. Benjamin Franklin even sponsored a lottery to raise funds for cannons to defend Philadelphia against the British.
Modern state lotteries have a number of features that distinguish them from other forms of gambling. They are legally sanctioned by the state government; offer a substantial pool of prizes (often ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars); and require that payment of some consideration — usually money — be made for the opportunity to win a prize. Federal law prohibits the sale of lottery tickets by mail or over the telephone.
The success of state lotteries has been attributed to their ability to attract and retain broad public support, even in times of economic stress. Lottery supporters argue that proceeds from the lottery will benefit a specific public good, such as education; and that playing the lottery is a form of civic duty. This argument, however, has not been convincing enough to counter a long-standing and growing concern about the negative social consequences of lottery play.
