A lottery is a form of gambling wherein people pay a small amount of money to have a chance of winning big sums of money, often into millions. It is often run by state governments. The money raised from the lottery is usually used to fund a variety of state programs.

The lottery has a long history dating back thousands of years. It was common in Roman times – Nero loved the lottery – and was even part of the Bible, where lots were cast to decide everything from who would be king to what to do with Jesus’ garments after his Crucifixion. State lotteries are not without controversy. While they are a popular way to raise funds for state programs, they also have serious costs to society. In addition, the lottery has been shown to be addictive and can lead to serious problems for those who play it.

The modern incarnation of the lottery began in the nineteen sixties when a burgeoning population and mounting war costs led to huge deficits for many states, and it became harder than ever to balance the budget without raising taxes or cutting state services. The solution, proponents hoped, was to legalize the lottery and let it provide the money needed to keep state government running. But a few decades later, they had to change course. When lottery jackpots started to swell to record-breaking levels, and state finances continued to deteriorate, supporters of legalized gambling found themselves no longer able to make the case that the lottery was a silver bullet that could float most of a state’s budget.