Lottery is an arrangement in which a prize (such as money) is allocated to one or more persons by chance. Typically, participants purchase tickets and then either draw numbers or allow machines to do so. If their numbers match those drawn by the machine, they win a prize. The casting of lots for making decisions and determining fates has a long record in human history, including several instances in the Bible, although the use of lotteries to distribute prizes for material gain is more recent, dating to at least the 15th century.
Public lotteries are now widespread in the US, with many states offering both daily numbers and games where players select numbers that appear on their tickets. Some of these offer cash prizes, while others award goods or services, such as units in subsidized housing projects or kindergarten placements at reputable schools. These arrangements have their supporters and detractors, largely depending on whether they serve the public interest.
In addition to general public support, state lotteries develop extensive specific constituencies — convenience store operators; lottery suppliers (heavy contributions to political campaigns by those providing the prizes are reported); teachers (in states in which lottery revenues are earmarked for education); and state legislators, who quickly become accustomed to the large inflow of revenue.
The lottery industry traces its roots to ancient times, and it was common in colonial America to hold lotteries to raise money for both private and public ventures. For example, Benjamin Franklin organized a lottery to fund the construction of cannons to defend Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. But moral and religious sensibilities started to turn against gambling, including the lottery, beginning in the 1800s.