Lottery is a type of gambling in which numbers are drawn to determine a prize. It has a long history and was a popular way to fund public projects in colonial America. Benjamin Franklin organized a lottery to purchase cannons for Philadelphia, and George Washington ran a lottery to raise funds for a road over the mountain pass at Fort Frederick.

Today, state lotteries generate substantial revenues and have broad support. They are often viewed as an alternative to raising taxes or cutting public programs and can help provide needed revenue for important projects such as education, roads, bridges, libraries, parks, hospitals, and colleges. However, critics cite their potential to promote addictive behavior and as a major regressive tax on lower-income households.

Many people play the lottery because they enjoy it, and there is an inextricable human urge to try one’s luck at a chance for riches. But the main reason states sponsor lotteries is to attract new gamblers and increase revenues. This is especially true when the state’s fiscal condition is strained, but it is also true during times of economic prosperity.

Lottery revenue typically expands dramatically after a game is introduced, then levels off and sometimes declines. Lotteries must continually introduce new games to maintain and increase revenue.