Lottery is a game in which people can win prizes by chance. The prizes may be money, goods, or services. People pay a small amount of money for the opportunity to win the prize. The game is popular in many countries and is considered a form of gambling. People spend large sums of money on lottery tickets each year, and the lottery is the largest source of state revenue in some states.

The history of the lottery can be traced back centuries. The Old Testament instructed Moses to take a census of Israel and divide the land by lot, and Roman emperors used a variety of lotteries to give away property and slaves as entertainment at dinner parties and other Saturnalian celebrations. The term lottery is probably from 1560s, a derivation of Middle Dutch loterie, from the verb to draw lots, perhaps via Middle English lotinge “action of drawing lots” (Oxford English Dictionary).

Modern lotteries are typically run by governmental agencies. Some states have a state agency that administers the lottery, while others contract the service to private firms in return for a percentage of the profits. The agencies may regulate the games to prevent bribery, corruption, and other crimes associated with organized crime. They also set the number of games, prizes, and other terms.

A number of public and private lottery operations have been established throughout the world in recent years. Most states impose strict rules to protect the integrity of their lottery systems and avoid the use of bribes, fraud, or other forms of misconduct. A lottery is a desirable mechanism for raising funds for public needs, such as building highways and schools, or for charitable purposes. In addition to generating tax revenues, lotteries provide a socially beneficial activity that is popular with the general public.