A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbered tickets are drawn at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse them to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. In addition to the random drawing of numbers, lotteries often involve some degree of regulation by the government.

Lottery is one of the oldest forms of organized public gaming, dating back as far as the Roman Empire. In the modern era, lotteries are most frequently organized by governments to raise money for public purposes. The Dutch state-owned Staatsloterij is the world’s oldest running lottery, having been founded in 1726. Lottery games are popular throughout the world and have become a major source of funding for public needs, such as education and infrastructure.

The popularity of the lottery has been attributed to rising economic inequality, a newfound materialism that asserts anyone can get rich with enough effort or luck, and growing anti-tax movements. In fact, a significant amount of lottery revenue is derived from those with the least disposable incomes. Studies have also shown that the relative popularity of lotteries is not tied to a state’s actual fiscal health, since lottery revenues can be substituted for taxes.

In a traditional lottery, people purchase tickets with the hope of winning a large sum of money. Some prizes are fixed amounts, while others are determined by chance. If the winner wins a fixed-sum prize, they must choose whether to receive the entire jackpot in one lump sum or as an annuity payment over three decades. Despite the popular expectation of a quick payout, the majority of lottery winners choose annuity payments.