Lottery is a game in which players pay small sums of money for a chance to win large jackpots, often administered by state or national governments. Although widely considered to be a form of gambling, many people play it for social reasons such as donating to charity. In the United States, the lottery is a popular way to fund public education, a major source of revenue for most school districts. In addition, the state’s AIDS trust fund and several other charities receive lottery proceeds.

In the 15th century, towns held private and public lotteries to raise funds for town fortifications and help the poor. Lotteries became widespread in Europe after 1640. In some cases, the prizes were given away for free; in others, the prize pool consisted of the total value after all expenses (profits for the promoter, costs of promotion, and taxes or other revenues) had been deducted.

Lotteries are a popular form of gambling that involves drawing random numbers to determine winners. The games have wide appeal and are easy to organize, but they’re also fraught with risks for participants, including problems with compulsive gambling and alleged regressive effects on low-income populations. The word lottery is thought to come from Middle Dutch loterie, or from French loterie, which may be a calque of Middle Dutch loten “to draw lots” and Old High German lotte “a fortune.” The Bible forbids covetousness—the desire for someone else’s property, including their possessions, wealth, or status. Gamblers, including players of the lottery, often covet money and the things that money can buy.