Lottery is a game in which people can win big prizes, usually money, by randomly selecting numbers or other symbols. The prizes can be anything from houses or cars to cash and other goods. Many governments organize Lottery games.

There are two main reasons for the popularity of Lottery: the desire to dream about becoming rich and the feeling that lottery tickets offer a fair chance to do so. Critics argue that Lottery sales may be a sign of growing economic inequality, with people from lower income groups buying more tickets and pursuing their dreams more frequently than those from higher incomes.

While most people think of Lottery as a form of gambling, the game has many other uses, such as selecting participants for public service positions and allocating limited resources. These types of Lotteries are often called civil, or political, and may include the selection of a sports team or kindergarten placements.

In the United States, state governments regulate Lottery. Each has its own laws, but most have a Lottery division that oversees the selection of lottery retailers and employees, trains them to use ticket terminals and sell and redeem tickets, promotes lottery games, pays high-tier prizes, and ensures that retailers and players follow state law. Most state Lotteries also allocate a percentage of proceeds to specific projects, such as public education. Typically, about 50%-60% of lottery ticket sales go into the prize pot and the remainder is used for administrative and vendor costs and for projects designated by state legislatures.