For many people, lottery is not just a game, it’s their last, best, or only shot at getting a new life. So even though they know the odds are long, they go in with clear-eyed knowledge that somebody has to win — and someday it could be them.

The practice of determining distribution of property or prizes by lot dates back to ancient times. The Old Testament contains dozens of references to the Lord giving land to various tribes through this method, and Roman emperors used lotteries for gifts during Saturnalian celebrations. In Europe, the first public lotteries to award cash prizes were held in the 15th century by towns trying to raise funds for town fortifications and the poor. Francis I of France encouraged their expansion after seeing the Italian lottery system during his travels.

Some of the earliest lotteries were private, and some of these were organized by religious groups or noble families. The Dutch state-owned Staatsloterij has been operating since 1726 and is considered the oldest continuously running lottery. Privately organized lotteries also were common in colonial America, where they were a painless form of taxation and helped finance colleges, roads, canals, churches, libraries, and other public works.

It is important to remember that lottery results are based on random chance and the number of tickets sold does not affect the odds of winning. So while it’s tempting to buy a ticket with significant numbers, such as birthdays or anniversaries, Harvard statistics professor Mark Glickman says you are better off buying Quick Picks and letting the computer choose your numbers.