A lottery is a form of gambling in which tokens are distributed or sold and the winning tokens or numbers are drawn at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse them and organize state or national lotteries. The term is also used to describe a process of selection from among a group of applicants or competitors, such as the one that assigns space in a subsidized housing block or kindergarten placements at a reputable public school. In the sporting world, a lottery is an event in which the names of the 14 teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are drawn at random to determine their draft pick in the NBA draft.

The distribution of property, slaves, and other goods by lot dates back to ancient times. Moses was instructed in the Old Testament to distribute land by lot, and Roman emperors used the practice for various social activities, including Saturnalian feasts. In the modern era, lotteries first gained wide popularity in the United States after New Hampshire established a state lottery in 1964. The success of the lottery encouraged other states to introduce them, and by 1975, 37 had them operating.

Lottery advertising often promotes the idea that winning a jackpot prize will be financially transformative, but critics argue that the odds of winning are low and that the amount won is typically paid in equal annual installments over 20 years, with inflation and taxes significantly eroding the current value of the prize. Furthermore, the advertising typically glosses over the fact that many players lose far more than they win.

Despite the criticism, lottery play continues to grow rapidly, and many people play frequently. A recent study found that in states with a lottery, more than 60% of adults report playing at least once a year. Lottery play is more prevalent among lower-income households and is most common among men. In addition, the percentage of individuals who play the lottery decreases with age and education.

Many of those who play the lottery do so as part of a syndicate, meaning that they buy more tickets and have a greater chance of winning but pay out smaller amounts. Those who do so claim that they use their birthdays and those of family and friends as lucky numbers, although this does not always improve chances.

Some critics point out that state lotteries are inefficient forms of revenue, raising less than the costs incurred to operate them, and that they may lead to societal harms, such as an increase in gambling addiction and the regressivity of lottery revenues relative to other sources of state revenue. However, proponents of lotteries argue that they do provide a valuable public service and help to raise important social and economic benefits. Nevertheless, the research on state lotteries is still in its early stages and it is difficult to establish whether or not these claims are valid. In the meantime, lotteries must compete with other forms of entertainment, such as sports betting, to attract customers.