Lottery is a form of gambling that involves a random drawing for prizes. Depending on how the lottery is run, prizes may include cash or goods and services. Lottery prize money often comes from ticket sales, but sometimes the promoters of a particular lottery will sponsor it to raise funds for a specific cause. In the United States, state-run lotteries are common and well-known. Other state-sponsored lotteries include the awarding of units in subsidized housing blocks and kindergarten placements.

The practice of distributing property and other items through a lottery goes back centuries. The Old Testament instructs Moses to take a census of his people and divide their land by lot; and Roman emperors distributed property and slaves through lotteries during Saturnalian festivities. The first state-sponsored lotteries were held in Europe in the 15th century. The word “lottery” is probably derived from Middle Dutch Lotinge, a calque on Middle French loterie.

Lotteries have broad popular support, with 60% of adults saying that they play. They also develop extensive specific constituencies such as convenience store operators (lotteries are their most profitable business); lottery suppliers; teachers (in states where lotter proceeds are earmarked for education); and state legislators, who quickly become accustomed to the regular flow of lottery revenues. Nevertheless, there are serious questions about the extent to which state lotteries promote gambling addiction and social inequality. In addition, they are often run as businesses whose primary mission is to maximize revenues. As a result, their advertising necessarily focuses on persuading people to spend money. This runs at cross-purposes with the general public interest.