A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw it, while others endorse it and organize state-run lotteries. The lottery has a long history, going back centuries. It was first used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. During the immediate postwar period, states were able to expand their social safety nets without too much onerous taxation on middle- and working-class families, and so lotteries were promoted as a painless source of revenue.
To run a lottery, there are certain minimum requirements. The first is a system for recording the identities of all those who place bets, along with the amount they stake and the number(s) or other symbols on which they have bet. A bettor may write his or her name on a ticket that is deposited with the lottery organization for later shuffling and selection in the drawing. Or a bettor may purchase a numbered receipt that is spit out by machines for the same purpose.
Another requirement is a pool of money from which all the winnings are awarded. A percentage is normally deducted to cover costs, including the promotion and management of the lottery; the remainder is distributed among winners.
Most states establish their lotteries as state agencies or public corporations; they typically start with a small number of relatively simple games, and then, under pressure to increase revenues, progressively add new ones. In addition, a variety of private firms sell lottery tickets. Currently, there are 37 state lotteries operating in the United States. Retailers selling lottery tickets include convenience stores, gas stations, restaurants and bars, and newsstands.