Lottery:
A competition based on chance in which numbered tickets are sold and prizes given to those whose numbers are drawn at random: often sponsored by states or organizations as a method of raising funds. Also used figuratively to refer to any undertaking in which the outcome depends on fate: a soldier’s tour of duty was like a lottery.
There are many kinds of lotteries: financial (where participants pay a small sum for a chance at winning a large sum of money), sporting, and others. Some states run their own state lotteries; in the United States, 44 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia have them. In addition, there are several privately operated lotteries that offer predetermined prizes.
The origins of lotteries go back centuries. The Old Testament instructed Moses to take a census of the people of Israel and divide their land by lot; Roman emperors gave away slaves in this manner as well. Lotteries came to the American colonies with British colonists, and although they generated much controversy — with ten states banning them between 1844 and 1859 — they played an important role in financing both private and public ventures. Among the public projects financed by lotteries were roads, canals, bridges, and universities.
In modern times, lotteries are a popular pastime for millions of Americans, contributing to billions in earnings every year. But the odds of winning are incredibly slim, and those who do win can find themselves in trouble because they can get addicted to spending their hard-earned cash.