Despite their obvious risks, lotteries have a strange hold on many people. While they may hardly be the best way to get rich, they’re a great way to spend a few bucks on something that feels harmless and even fun. That buck or two also buys you a day or two of pretending that you’re going to win the lottery, that your dream mansion is just around the corner and that you can finally tell that boss or coworker who pisses you off all the time that they can go take a hike.

Most state lotteries follow similar patterns: the state legitimises a monopoly for itself; creates a state agency or public corporation to run the lottery; launches with a small number of relatively simple games and, driven by a need for increased revenue, gradually expands its offerings. These enlarged games often have super-sized jackpots that generate massive publicity and drive ticket sales.

But these inflated prizes aren’t always as newsworthy as they seem and can even backfire, driving down ticket sales and making the overall system less profitable. In addition, the prize money isn’t necessarily distributed evenly.

And even if you’re not buying a mega-jackpot, there are ways to increase your odds of winning by picking different numbers or choosing Quick Picks. Harvard statistics professor Mark Glickman suggests avoiding selecting numbers that are significant to you, such as your children’s or ages, and instead focusing on a random selection. He also recommends avoiding combinations that end with the same digit.