Lottery is a popular source of revenue for state governments. It has a broad public appeal, mainly because it is perceived as a painless form of taxation. Its popularity is also a function of its ability to raise large sums of money that can help fund public services, such as education.

Lotteries are largely run as businesses, and their advertising focuses on persuading people to spend their money on them. The resulting promotion of gambling is controversial, especially when it entices the poor and problem gamblers to spend their scarce resources on lottery tickets. And yet, in a time of inequality and limited social mobility, the promise of instant riches is an attractive lure for many.

A lottery’s success depends largely on its reputation as an alternative to taxes, and the public believes that the proceeds of a lottery are dedicated to a “public good.” It is not uncommon for politicians to promote lotteries at times of economic stress in order to increase their political capital. Lotteries have also won widespread approval for their use as a means to expand a state’s social safety net.

But the reality is that winning the lottery is largely an exercise in wishful thinking. A lottery’s odds are calculated from the total number of combinations and the overall number of tickets sold. Even the most careful player can’t predict what numbers will appear in any given drawing. For example, it is common for people to select family birthdays and other lucky sequences, such as 1-2-3-4-5-6. But this does not significantly increase the chances of winning, according to Harvard statistics professor Mark Glickman.