A competition based on chance, in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes are given to those whose numbers are drawn at random: often sponsored by a state or other organization as a means of raising money. Also used, especially informally, to refer to any happening or process that appears to be determined by chance:to look upon life as a lottery.
The first recorded use of the word comes from 1567, when Queen Elizabeth organized the world’s first state lottery to raise funds for “the strength of the realm and such other good publick works.” These days, people play the lottery in almost every country in the world, spending billions a week. But the odds of winning are incredibly low and playing it is not without risk.
Lottery has been criticized for being addictive and expensive, and many winners find their lives deteriorating after they win. Nonetheless, it is a major source of income in some states and has helped finance everything from road construction to the Sydney Opera House. The word itself comes from the Italian lotto, which means a “lot” or portion of something.
While the lottery is widely viewed as an effective way to raise public revenue, it has been a major cause of societal problems in the United States and elsewhere. The exploitation of children by lottery marketers is especially disturbing. In addition, the state’s reliance on these revenues undermines democracy, as it shifts power away from citizens and toward corporations.