Lottery is a form of gambling in which people pay a small sum to be randomly selected for a larger prize. It is often used when the demand for a limited resource exceeds supply; it can be applied to anything from units in a subsidized housing block to kindergarten placements at a well-regarded public school. Financial lotteries are the most common type, in which participants pay for tickets, select numbers, and win prizes if enough of their numbers match those chosen by machines or other players.

The first recorded lotteries were held in the Netherlands in the 15th century, with towns using them to raise money for town fortifications and other needs. Throughout history, lotteries have been popular, and governments, private promoters, and charitable organizations have organized them for a variety of purposes.

Most state lotteries start with a small number of relatively simple games, then progressively expand their scope and complexity to increase revenues. This expansion is often accelerated by super-sized jackpots that are newsworthy and attract publicity. The swell of revenue then tends to level off, requiring constant innovation in new games to maintain or raise revenues.

Despite the popularity of lottery games, they have significant social and economic consequences that should be carefully considered by policy makers and the general public. A substantial percentage of lottery ticket buyers come from lower-income neighborhoods, and the irrational beliefs of many about lucky numbers, stores, times to buy, and other quote-unquote systems that aren’t supported by statistical analysis tend to lead them into unwise and expensive gambles.