Lottery is a game in which tickets are sold for the chance to win money or goods. Its origin is uncertain, but it seems to have been invented in the early 16th century. It was popular in the Low Countries, where it was used for a variety of purposes, including helping the poor. It was also a major source of revenue in colonial America, where it was often used to finance public works projects. George Washington sponsored a lottery in 1768 to help build a road across the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Today, state lotteries are enormously successful. They generate billions in revenues each year, and the chances of winning are relatively high, compared to other games of chance. But they are not without problems, many of which stem from the fact that the original circumstances that prompted states to establish lotteries have largely disappeared.
As a result, lotteries have become a classic case of public policy evolving piecemeal and incrementally, with little or no overall direction and oversight. The process has produced a series of issues that can only be resolved by an ongoing dialogue between state officials and the public.
