In its simplest form, a lottery is a process by which prizes are allocated through a system that relies on chance. It can be used in a number of ways, from determining kindergarten placements to allocating units in a subsidized housing block or even to find the next vaccine for a fast-moving virus. But the most familiar and popular example of a lottery is that which dishes out cash prizes to paying participants.

Lotteries have long been a part of human culture, dating back to ancient times. The drawing of lots to determine ownership or other rights is recorded in many ancient documents, including the Bible; and in Europe, lotteries were widely used in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to raise funds for towns, wars, colleges, and public-works projects. Lotteries first came to the United States in 1612 when King James I of England created one to support the Jamestown, Virginia settlement.

The most important factor in choosing a winning lottery ticket is selecting the numbers carefully. A simple strategy is to avoid picking numbers that are too common. Harvard statistics professor Mark Glickman suggests picking a combination that is unlikely to have been chosen by other players. He also recommends avoiding picking numbers that are significant to you (like birthdays or ages), as these are likely to be the same as those of hundreds of other people, giving them a higher chance of winning.

The modern incarnation of the lottery took root in America in the nineteen-sixties when state governments were faced with a crisis over funding for their social safety nets. As taxes were rising and inflation was gaining pace, balancing the budget became increasingly difficult without raising taxes or cutting services, both of which would be highly unpopular with voters.