A lottery is a game of chance in which numbers are drawn at random to determine the winner. Prizes can be cash, goods or services. There are many different types of lotteries, including the state-sponsored games that have been around for centuries and the raffles for prizes like houses and cars that have become popular in recent years. A lottery may also be used for military conscription, commercial promotions in which property is given away by a random procedure, or as a way of selecting jury members in cases that require a fair and impartial jury.
Despite the wide variation in lottery games, there are some similarities amongst them all. Most states establish a state agency or public corporation to run the lottery; start with a modest number of relatively simple games; and then progressively expand their operations. Lotteries also enjoy broad, widespread public support. This support reflects a range of interests, including convenience store operators (who benefit from the substantial revenue stream from ticket sales); lottery suppliers (whose contributions to state political campaigns are frequently reported); teachers (in those states in which lottery revenues are earmarked for education); and many others.
The first state lottery was established in New Hampshire in 1964. Since then, the concept has spread to nearly all fifty states. This expansion has occurred despite numerous arguments both for and against the introduction of state lotteries. The debates and structures of these lotteries have all shared a distinct pattern: the arguments for and against adoption, the structure of the resulting state lottery, and its subsequent evolution in size and complexity.