The lottery is a type of gambling game in which tickets are sold and a prize (usually money or goods) is given away through a random procedure. A strict definition of lottery requires that payment of a consideration be made in order to be eligible for the prize; but modern lotteries also include military conscription, commercial promotions in which property is awarded by a random procedure, and the selection of jury members from lists of registered voters.

State lotteries are a classic example of public policy that is driven by circumstance rather than by a general consensus about the best way to manage government funds. When lotteries first emerged, states were desperate for revenue and believed that people were essentially gamblers who could not be prevented from gambling anyway. This belief is now largely obsolete, but the lottery remains an entrenched institution.

Lottery revenues tend to expand dramatically when introduced, then level off and may even begin to decline. Consequently, officials are continually trying to introduce new games in an effort to maintain or increase revenues.

Although many people consider playing the lottery to be a form of low-cost gambling, most people who play actually spend more than they win. Moreover, people who play the lottery do not represent all segments of society. Studies have shown that the poor do not participate in lotteries at a proportionally high rate; men are more likely to play than women; blacks and Hispanics play less than whites; and younger and older people tend to play less than those in the middle age range.