A game of chance in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes, such as cash or goods, are awarded to holders of numbers selected at random. Often sponsored by a state or other organization as a means of raising money. Also known as a lottery game, a raffle, and a keno.
Lotteries have a long history, dating back to ancient times, but they became increasingly popular in the modern world as governments sought ways to improve public services without increasing taxes on working people. In the early colonial period, for example, lotteries raised funds to pave streets and build wharves and for colleges such as Harvard and Yale. Benjamin Franklin even sponsored a lottery to raise money for cannons to defend Philadelphia against the British.
Various methods of organizing and running a lottery are in use, but they all require a central agency responsible for recording the identities of participants and the amounts staked by each. A percentage of the pool is used to cover administrative costs and to profit from the sale of tickets. Another portion is reserved for the winners of the top prizes. In most cases, the prizes must be large enough to attract significant numbers of potential bettors.
Lottery officials and retailers work together to promote games and increase sales. They use a variety of marketing tools, including free media publicity for large jackpots and promotions tailored to the interests of different groups of potential bettors. Many respondents to NORC’s survey reported that they were “frequent players”—that is, they played the lottery several times a month or more. This was especially true for respondents who were high school graduates or who lived in middle-class households.