Lottery is a state-regulated game in which players pay for tickets and win prizes (usually cash or goods) by matching numbers. State governments sponsor the games to generate revenue without raising taxes, and profit from the proceeds. Lottery revenues can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including public works projects and social welfare programs.

The word lottery is probably derived from Middle Dutch lotinge, and may be related to a similar Dutch verb lotteren “to draw lots” or from the root of the French verb loter, meaning “to ply.” The first recorded use of the term in English was in 1569. Lotteries have become popular worldwide, and in most countries are a major source of tax revenues. Although their astronomical odds make them unprofitable for most people, they continue to attract large numbers of participants. Some players spend millions of dollars every year on tickets, and even a modest lottery habit can cost a person thousands of dollars over a lifetime—money that could have been saved or used to pay off debt.

Many people develop a sense of ownership over their purchases, believing that they can improve the odds of winning by purchasing tickets with the numbers of their friends and family. Others are enchanted by the glamour of the big prizes, and dream of being millionaires. Often, those with low incomes are the biggest buyers of lottery tickets, and critics have pointed to this as evidence of a growing materialist ethic that claims that anyone can get rich if they try hard enough.