A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn and the people who have those numbers on their tickets win prizes. The term also refers to any competition that relies solely on chance (although more complex competitions such as athletic events may be classified as lotteries if the prizes are awarded by lottery). In the United States, state governments sponsor the majority of lotteries, which raise money for various public services. Although critics of lotteries allege that they are addictive and can lead to other forms of illegal gambling, supporters argue that the money raised by lottery proceeds benefits many specific groups in society, including education, public safety, and social services.

Since New Hampshire introduced the modern era of state lotteries in 1964, other states have adopted them in a nearly identical pattern. In each case, the state legislates a monopoly for itself; establishes a government agency or public corporation to run it; begins with a modest number of relatively simple games; and, due to pressure from lawmakers to raise revenue, gradually expands its offerings.

As the popularity of lotteries has grown, they have been criticized for their role in fueling rising income inequality and the sense that anyone with enough money can become wealthy. Critics have also alleged that lotteries are a regressive tax on low-income communities and that they encourage addiction. In addition, a lottery’s enormous jackpots can be spent on things that do not improve the quality of life of those who own them.

Despite these criticisms, the fact is that lotteries remain popular. They are among the easiest methods for a state to raise funds and, because of the large prizes on offer, they attract attention from the media. As a result, they are a major source of revenues for state and local governments. They also provide a way to reduce taxes on the middle class and working class, which is especially important for states in the immediate post-World War II period when those taxes helped fund a rapidly expanding array of social safety net programs.