A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw it, while others endorse it and organize state-run lotteries. The money raised by these lotteries typically goes toward public education, although it can be allocated to a variety of projects. Some states outsource the running of their lotteries, while others have a state-owned corporation or agency manage the operation.
In the United States, state-run lotteries have become enormously popular. As of 2018, there are 39 state-run lotteries, with an annual revenue of about $70 billion. These revenues are divided between administrative costs, prizes, and vendor payments. Most states also allocate a percentage of their revenues to charitable causes. Benjamin Franklin, for example, used a lottery to raise funds to purchase cannons for the defense of Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
The popularity of the lottery has generated a variety of criticisms, including allegations that it encourages addictive gambling behavior, promotes inequality, and constitutes a major regressive tax on low-income groups. It is also criticized for promoting an illusion of control over outcomes, with players believing that skill can tilt the odds in their favor. The story Shirley Jackson tells in her short novel The Lottery explores how this illusion of control affects a community and its ability to reason.