A lottery is a contest in which people pay for the chance to win something, such as money or goods. People may play for fun or to raise money for a good cause. Lotteries are often criticized as addictive forms of gambling, but some are run by state or federal governments to raise funds for public purposes.

The word is derived from the Latin loteria, meaning “selection by lots.” In the modern sense of the term, it refers to a procedure for selecting winners. This can involve shuffling and mixing a large pool of tickets or their counterfoils or simply using mechanical means, such as shaking or tossing, to randomly select winning numbers or symbols. Computers have also been used in this way.

Many states have adopted lotteries as a source of income. Some of this revenue goes toward administrative and vendor costs and toward projects that each state designates. The remaining portion usually goes into a prize fund.

There is no single explanation for why some people buy lottery tickets. Some people, especially those who do not have a lot of prospects in the economy, get a great deal of value for the tickets they purchase, even though they know that the chances of winning are very slim. The hope that they will win, irrational as it is, can provide comfort and encouragement. Some people find this to be more important than financial security or a good education.