Lottery games take many forms, but all involve a random selection of numbers and a prize for the winners whose numbers match those chosen. Some states have lotteries where the proceeds are used for a specific public benefit, such as education, which helps to gain broad public approval. But Clotfelter and Cook note that “the objective fiscal circumstances of a state do not appear to be a major factor in whether or when a lottery is adopted.”
Some people think they can win the lottery if they pick the right numbers, and there’s an inextricable human impulse to gamble that could explain some of the popularity. But there’s also more to winning the lottery than picking the lucky numbers, and a lot of it has to do with how the lottery is promoted and the way in which its proceeds are used.
In promoting their products, most lotteries focus on two messages. One is that playing the lottery is a good time. The other is that the money won in a lottery is “free.” Both of these messages have coded subtexts. They are meant to obscure the regressive nature of lottery gambling and the fact that many low-income households spend a significant share of their incomes on tickets.
The first recorded lotteries to offer tickets with prizes in the form of money were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. They raised funds to build town fortifications and help the poor. A number of these early lotteries were run by the town council, but others were organized by private companies or religious organizations.