A competition in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes are awarded to the holders of numbers drawn at random. Lotteries are a popular way of raising funds for state or charitable purposes, and they also serve as an alternative to more direct forms of taxation.
The casting of lots for decisions and determinations of fate has a long record in human history, but the lottery as an instrument of material gain is relatively recent. The first recorded public lottery was held in Bruges, Belgium, in 1466 for municipal repairs. A number of states introduced lotteries in the 1970s as a means of raising money for education without increasing taxes, and they soon became very popular.
Lottery revenues have continued to grow, but the rate of growth has slowed in recent years. In response, a number of states have started new games, such as keno and video poker, and have expanded their marketing efforts. In addition, state governments have taken on more of the operating costs, in exchange for a smaller share of the proceeds.
A key requirement for a lottery is some mechanism to record the identities of bettors and the amounts staked by each. This is usually done by requiring each bettor to write his or her name on a ticket, which is then deposited with the lottery organization for shuffling and possible selection in the drawing. From the pool of entrants, a percentage normally goes to the lottery organizer or sponsor for expenses and profits, while the remaining prize money is awarded to winners.
