A lottery is a contest in which prizes, usually money or goods, are awarded to winners by chance. It can be state-run or privately organized, and it can take many forms. It is considered to be gambling, but there are differences between it and other forms of gambling, such as the game of baccarat. The word “lottery” has several origins, including Old Dutch lotinge and Middle French loterie. The latter probably derives from the Latin word litera, meaning “script or letter.” It has also been suggested that it is a calque on the Middle Dutch word lot.

It was a popular entertainment at dinner parties in ancient Rome, where the host would give his guests pieces of wood with symbols on them; they could then participate in a drawing for various items or a cash prize. Lotteries were so popular in the Roman Empire that they were regulated by law. The Roman emperors used them to distribute property and slaves, as well as to provide entertainment for their friends during Saturnalian feasts.

The modern lottery, as we know it, began in the United States after World War II. It was an attempt by states to raise revenue for public services without imposing onerous taxes on the middle and working classes. It was an uneasy arrangement, and by the 1960s it had begun to erode, especially as inflation accelerated.

In the 21st century, states are again promoting lotteries to generate revenue. But they may be squandering taxpayers’ money, and the benefits of the games are debatable. Some people play because they like to gamble, and there is a certain inextricable human impulse to do so. But state-sponsored lotteries entice people to gamble more than they otherwise would, and the consequences are often far-reaching.

Some economists believe that lottery purchases can be accounted for by decision models based on expected utility maximization, which adjust the curvature of the utility function to include risk-seeking behavior. Other economists argue that these models don’t capture all the reasons people buy tickets, such as their desire to experience a thrill or indulge in a fantasy of wealth. The truth is likely somewhere in between, as the purchase of a ticket can increase overall utility for a particular individual, even though it may not maximize expected value.