A lottery is a type of gambling where winning depends on chance. Some governments run lotteries, while others allow private companies to do so. People buy tickets for a small sum of money and then hope to win a big prize, such as a house or a car. Most states and the District of Columbia have lotteries. The profits from the games go to a variety of public purposes, including education, public works, and social services.

Despite their long history, lotteries continue to generate debate and controversy. The most prominent issues are related to the alleged regressive impact on poorer individuals and the marketing of lottery games, which often feature misleading information (for example, inflated jackpot amounts) and a high risk of addiction. Moreover, lottery revenue growth has flattened, resulting in a focus on new forms of gambling and a shift toward more aggressive marketing.

In colonial America, public lotteries were used to raise money for a range of both public and private ventures, such as paving streets and building wharves, schools, colleges, and canals. They were even used to finance the founding of Harvard and Yale.

State lottery operations are typically delegated to a separate division that has the responsibility of selecting and licensing retailers, training their employees to use lottery terminals and sell and redeem tickets, promoting games, distributing prizes, and ensuring compliance with state law. The division also oversees a number of other tasks that are not directly associated with gaming, such as purchasing equipment and providing technical support to lottery vendors, suppliers, and retailers.