Lottery is a game whereby numbers are drawn at random by machines or by people, and prizes (typically money) are awarded to those who match the winning numbers. It is a form of gambling, but unlike casino gaming it does not involve a physical component and is therefore legal in most jurisdictions.

In the 17th century it was common in the Netherlands to organize lotteries to raise funds for a wide range of public usages. These were hailed as a painless form of taxation. Lotteries continued to play a major role in financing private and public ventures in colonial America as well. Many of the nation’s first roads, canals, libraries, churches, colleges, and universities were financed with lottery funds. During the French and Indian War, lotteries helped finance the militia and fortifications.

Since 1964, when New Hampshire established its state lottery, 37 states and the District of Columbia have adopted lotteries. State governments take a variety of approaches to running lotteries, but the basic argument for them is that they are a source of “painless” revenue, enabling taxpayers to voluntarily spend their own money on prizes that will benefit the state.

To keep ticket sales robust, most lotteries pay out a substantial portion of sales in prize money. This reduces the percentage available for state revenues, which are ostensibly used to pay for things like education. As a result, lottery proceeds aren’t as transparent as a traditional tax. In fact, consumer awareness of the implicit tax rate on lottery tickets is low.