An official lottery is a form of gambling in which a large sum of money is awarded to a lucky winner. It is often run by a government and is usually played with tickets that are printed with numbers and symbols. The prizes are typically cash, merchandise, or services. Many governments prohibit gambling, but some operate lotteries to raise money for various public projects. The earliest lotteries were organized in the Low Countries in the 15th century to fund town fortifications and help the poor.

The lottery has become a fixture in American society, with Americans spending upward of $100 billion on lottery tickets in 2021. And it has many positive impacts, including bolstering charitable donations and stimulating economic growth. But it also has a dark side. It dangles the promise of instant riches in an age of inequality and limited social mobility. And it sends a message that people should feel good about buying a ticket, even if they lose.

In some cases, states have been reluctant to add lotteries because of concerns that they will encourage people to cross state lines to buy tickets. In other cases, the pressure to add lotteries comes from neighboring states that are eager to benefit from revenue generated by lottery players. And in still other cases, concern that low-income households spend a disproportionate share of their incomes on lotteries has blocked lottery expansion. But those concerns are often misplaced. In reality, the amount of money that lottery winners receive represents a very small fraction of the total prize pool and overall state revenue.