A gambling game or method of raising money, as for some public charitable purpose, in which a large number of tickets are sold and a drawing is held for prizes. Also known as a sweepstakes. Often the winnings are paid out in lump sum, but withholdings may vary by jurisdiction.

Lottery can be applied to almost any situation in which there is a large demand for something and a limited supply: a lottery for units in a subsidized housing block or kindergarten placements at a reputable public school, for example. It can also refer to a process in which winners are selected by lot, as in the case of a sports team draft or allocation of scarce medical treatment.

The word is believed to come from the Dutch noun “lot,” meaning fate. The first recorded lotteries in the modern sense appeared in the Low Countries in the 15th century, with towns using them to raise funds for town fortifications and poor relief. The first national lotteries were established in France by Francis I in the 1500s, and they became immensely popular.

People buy lottery tickets, in part, because they like to gamble and believe they have a chance of winning. However, there is a lot more to it than that. The real reason for the huge popularity of lotteries is that they dangle the promise of instant riches in an age of inequality and limited social mobility. In addition, they rely on the message that buying a ticket helps the state.