A lottery is a game in which numbers are drawn to determine winners. It has a long history, including numerous biblical examples of dividing land or slaves by lot and as an entertainment at Saturnalian feasts during ancient Roman times. The modern state-sponsored games have become a major source of revenue in many states. Most of these funds are used for public education, though a few states also use the money to subsidize other public services and programs.

Lotteries have a special appeal for politicians, because they can be marketed as a painless way to raise funds for the government. They can be portrayed as a regressive tax that doesn’t hurt the poor, and they can be promoted to specific constituencies, such as convenience store owners, who make large contributions to political campaigns in states with lotteries; suppliers of lottery tickets (who often have lucrative contracts with state governments); teachers, in states where the proceeds are earmarked for education; etc.

Regardless of their specifics, all lotteries communicate two messages primarily. The first is the idea that winning a prize is a kind of meritocratic achievement. The second message is that the money that lottery players give to the state is important, and even if they lose, they should feel good because they are doing something for the community. This double-talk obscures the regressivity of the tax and reinforces the sense that the state can buy success for its citizens through the lottery.