Lottery is a game in which people purchase tickets and then hope to win money or goods. It is a form of gambling that is run by governments. Some countries have national lotteries while others operate state-based lotteries. The prize can be a fixed amount of cash or goods, or it can be a percentage of total receipts. The percentage prize format is more common in modern lotteries.

Many states use lotteries to raise funds for a variety of public and private projects. They are a popular alternative to imposing direct taxes, which can be unpopular among voters. In colonial America, public lotteries played a major role in funding public and private ventures, including roads, libraries, churches, schools, canals, and bridges. Lotteries also helped to finance Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, and Columbia Universities. The Continental Congress established a lottery in 1776 to help finance the American Revolution, but it was unsuccessful. Privately organized lotteries continued to flourish in the United States.

In the modern sense of the word, lotteries were first used in Europe in the 15th century. They were originally used as an amusement at dinner parties, with the guests receiving tickets and then a chance to win prizes (often fine dinnerware). Some early European lotteries also awarded money prizes.

The big issue with lotteries is that they are creating a whole new generation of gamblers. There is a certain inextricable human urge to gamble, and lotteries are dangling the promise of instant riches. Especially in an age of inequality and limited social mobility, it is a dangerous proposition.