Lottery is a form of gambling in which people buy tickets and have a chance to win money or property. Prizes are awarded by drawing, or by a random procedure. Modern lotteries include military conscription, commercial promotions in which property is given away, and the selection of juries. The most common prize in lotteries is cash, but other prizes may also be offered. Prizes are often predetermined and the total value of prizes is usually less than the amount paid for tickets. Unlike traditional raffles, which require payment of consideration for a chance to win, the payment required by a state lottery is the purchase of a ticket.

Governments at all levels have been using lotteries as a source of “painless” revenue in an anti-tax era, and the pressure on state officials to increase lottery revenues is strong. But state budgets aren’t just made of lottery proceeds, and reliance on such revenue sources can be problematic.

Lottery revenues expand rapidly when first introduced, but then level off and even decline. This is because many people become bored of the games, and the constant introduction of new games must be undertaken to maintain or increase revenues. Lotteries are also promoted as a way of helping poor people and other groups that are in need, but critics point out that promoting gambling is at cross-purposes with this function. Moreover, there are serious concerns about the effect of lottery advertising on problem gamblers and other groups.