A lottery is an arrangement in which a prize or other reward is allocated by chance, as in the case of the drawing of lots for a public auction. The use of casting lots for decisions and determining fates has a long history, including several instances in the Bible. During the 17th century, lotteries became commonplace in England and the colonies, and played a major role in the financing of private and public projects such as canals, bridges, colleges, and churches. Benjamin Franklin, for example, ran a lottery to raise money for cannons to defend Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War.
State-sponsored lotteries are a common form of gambling and remain popular to this day. They generally follow a similar pattern: the government legislates a monopoly for itself (or, alternatively, licenses a private firm in return for a share of profits); establishes a modest number of relatively simple games; and then, due to pressure to increase revenues, progressively expands its operation with new games.
Regardless of their legality or morality, state-sponsored lotteries are often subject to criticism. The critics claim that lotteries promote addictive gambling behavior, act as a major regressive tax on lower-income groups, and lead to other abuses. In addition, they are said to create a dilemma for the state between its desire to maximize revenue and its duty to protect the public welfare. Despite these arguments, lottery participation continues to increase. It is most likely that people continue to play for the simple reason that they like to gamble.