A lottery is a method of raising money by selling tickets to win prizes that are drawn at random. Prizes may be cash or goods. Lottery is a popular source of funding for government programs and charities. It is also used for private purposes, such as raffles and game shows. In the United States, state-regulated lotteries raise billions of dollars annually for education, infrastructure, and other projects. In addition, they have generated controversy over their potential for being addictive forms of gambling and for regressive taxation on lower-income individuals.

The first lotteries were held in ancient times, as a means of distributing property. For example, the Bible instructs Moses to distribute land among the Israelites by drawing lots. The practice also was common in early colonial America as a means of raising funds for various public projects, including paving streets and constructing wharves. George Washington even sponsored a lottery to finance road construction across the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In the 17th century, the Dutch organized a series of lotteries called the Staatsloterij. They became hugely popular, and were hailed as a “painless” source of revenue for the government. In addition to providing a wide range of public benefits, they helped establish Harvard, Yale, King’s College (now Columbia), and the College of William and Mary. In modern times, the popularity of the lottery continues to grow as governments and privately organized lotteries promote games ranging from scratch-off tickets to sports drafts.