The lottery is a form of gambling where people pay for a ticket and hope to win a prize, usually cash. Most states run lotteries, which offer a variety of games ranging from simple scratch-off games to daily games that require players to choose numbers. Lotteries have a long history and are a painless way for governments to raise funds. They have been around since the 15th century, when towns in the Low Countries used them to raise money for the poor and for town fortifications. In the United States, lottery revenues have increased dramatically since New Hampshire began the modern era of state-run lotteries in 1964.

Most state lotteries begin operations with a small number of relatively simple games and then, under pressure for additional revenue, gradually expand the offering by adding more games, such as keno and video poker. They also increase their promotional efforts, mainly through advertising. These changes have been accompanied by a rise in the percentage of adults who report playing.

Lottery play varies by income. Generally speaking, the rich play more than the poor, but lower-income groups still participate at much less than their proportion of the population. It is also true that men play more than women and the young play less than the old.

Most states use lotteries to fund specific programs such as public education. Critics, however, charge that earmarked lottery funds simply reduce the legislature’s appropriations for the program and leave it in the general fund to be spent on whatever purpose legislators choose.