A lottery is a game in which numbers or symbols are drawn at random to determine winners. Prizes may be cash, goods, or services. Some lotteries are run by state governments while others are privately organized and operated. Regardless of the nature of the lottery, most states have laws governing its operation and prizes. A lottery division of a government is responsible for selecting and licensing retailers, promoting the lottery to potential customers, training retail employees in the use of lottery terminals, administering high-tier prizes, paying winning tickets, and verifying that all retailer and player operations are compliant with state law.
Most lottery games are played by buying a ticket and then hoping to win the prize. Many lotteries sell tickets in a wide variety of places, including convenience stores, gas stations, supermarkets, restaurants and bars, bowling alleys, religious organizations, fraternal groups, service stations, and even newsstands. In addition, some lotteries offer online sales. In 2003, approximately 186,000 retailers sold lottery tickets in the United States. The majority of these retailers are convenience stores. However, the number of retailers has decreased over time due to declining lottery sales and increased competition from Internet-based lottery providers.
Lotteries have broad public support, with about 60% of adults in states with lotteries reporting playing at least once a year. They also enjoy broad popularity among specific constituencies, such as convenience store owners; lottery suppliers (heavy contributions to state political campaigns by these firms are widely reported); teachers, in those states where lottery revenues are earmarked for education; and state legislators.
One of the key reasons for this broad popular support is that, as Clotfelter and Cook observe, lotteries are often promoted as a way to promote social good, such as public education, without raising taxes or cutting other government spending. This argument is particularly effective in times of economic stress, as it allows the lottery to gain and retain public approval when state governments are facing budget cuts or tax increases.
Lottery critics contend that the proceeds from lotteries are ineffective for public purposes, and argue that they promote compulsive gambling and have a regressive impact on low-income households. In addition, they argue that the advertising and marketing practices of some lotteries are misleading. For example, they point to a case in which a woman who won a large jackpot sought advice from lottery officials on how to conceal her winnings from her husband in order to avoid having to report them in divorce proceedings.
Lottery proponents respond to such criticisms by emphasizing the benefits of their products, citing studies showing that lottery proceeds are used for a wide range of purposes, from education and crime prevention to health and welfare programs. They further point out that, while the proportion of lottery funds devoted to specific uses is relatively small, it amounts to an important source of revenue for state governments and provides more money per citizen than other types of taxes.