A lottery is a procedure for distributing something (generally money or prizes) among a group of people by chance. It is most commonly used to allocate money, though some lotteries award goods or services. Lotteries are popular with the general public and are often easy to organize and operate. They are also an effective way to raise funds for public works projects.

The word lottery may have come from the Dutch verb lotge, a variant of the Middle Dutch word lotting, meaning drawing lots or selecting by chance. The first European state-sponsored lotteries arose in the 15th century in Burgundy and Flanders as towns sought to raise money to fortify their defenses or aid the poor. Francis I of France permitted the establishment of lotteries for both private and public profit in several cities in 1520.

Many, but not all, states and countries have lotteries. In the United States, for example, forty states plus the District of Columbia operate lotteries. The profits from these lotteries are primarily used for government programs. The states have granted themselves the exclusive right to operate a lottery, and they do not allow other commercial or independent lotteries to compete with them. Most state lotteries offer multiple prize levels. The top prize level is often a large sum of money, and it may be advertised as such in the media.

Whether a lottery ticket is purchased or not, it depends on the individual’s expected utility. If the non-monetary benefits of a lottery ticket outweigh the disutility of a monetary loss, then the purchase is a rational choice.