Lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers or symbols for a prize. The practice is traceable to ancient times; Moses was instructed in the Old Testament to distribute land by lot, and Roman emperors used lotteries as a popular entertainment at Saturnalian feasts. Early American lottery games were a common way to raise funds for civic projects such as paving streets or building wharves. In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin organized a series of lotteries to raise money to purchase cannons for Philadelphia, and George Washington sponsored a lottery in 1768 to fund his Mountain Road project.

In the late 20th century, a number of states adopted state lotteries. Lotteries are typically marketed as an alternative source of “painless” revenue that does not require voters to approve tax increases or reductions in public spending. They are also marketed as providing an opportunity to buy hope and dreams for a better future.

Despite these claims, critics argue that lottery revenues are not a viable substitute for taxes or other sources of revenue, and that they do not adequately address the needs of state governments. Furthermore, they tend to exacerbate economic disparities between wealthy and middle-income states. In addition, they can lead to compulsive gambling and erode the value of education and other public goods. Nevertheless, surveys show that state lotteries consistently win broad public approval. Moreover, Clotfelter and Cook report that the objective fiscal condition of a state does not appear to influence whether or when it adopts a lottery.