Lottery is a form of gambling in which a number of people wager a small amount of money for the chance to win a prize. The odds of winning are very low. Prizes are usually cash or goods, but in some cases may be services or rights to property. Lotteries are commonly regulated by law to ensure that winners are selected fairly.

The use of lottery drawings to distribute property or other things is recorded in ancient documents, including the Bible. The drawing of lots to determine ownership or other rights is also described in a number of plays by Shakespeare, and the practice was widely used during Saturnalian feasts and other entertainments in Rome (for example, a popular dinner entertainment was the apophoreta, which included a contest to decide which of several items should be taken home).

Modern lotteries are run by government agencies. They are designed to raise money for a wide variety of public purposes, from education to infrastructure projects. They are criticized for encouraging addictive gambling habits and for promoting false hope to the poor, but they can also be useful in raising revenue for a state without increasing taxes.

Most states promote their lotteries as ways to help children or other public causes. But how much of the lottery revenue is actually dedicated to these goals and whether it is worth the trade-offs to those who lose money on tickets is a subject of debate.