A lottery is a game in which people purchase tickets, and win prizes if their ticket numbers match those randomly drawn by a machine. Prizes can range from cash to goods and services such as cars, houses, and vacations. The lottery was popularized in the post-World War II era, when state governments began to see it as a source of revenue that could be a painless alternative to raising taxes on low- and middle-income families.

The casting of lots to decide fates or to distribute property has a long history, including several cases in the Bible. However, lotteries in the modern sense of the term were first recorded in 1612, when the English colony Virginia raised money to build a house by holding a lottery. Lotteries grew to be a common method for raising money for public purposes in colonial America, with funds going to paving streets, building wharves, and erecting churches. In fact, George Washington even sponsored a lottery to raise funds for cannons during the American Revolution, though it failed.

People buy lottery tickets with the hope that they will improve their lives. This is an example of covetousness, which the Bible forbids. Lotteries are also often marketed as a way for individuals to help their neighbors, especially those with pressing needs such as housing or health care. But there is a very high chance that those who purchase lottery tickets will lose the money they spend.