The lottery is a form of gambling where people pay to have a chance to win money or prizes based on a random drawing. Lotteries are popular in many countries and contribute to government revenue.

The word “lottery” comes from the Dutch noun lot (“fate”), and its English cognate, Middle French loterie, meaning the act of separating or choosing things by chance (Oxford English Dictionary). Lotteries are one way that governments raise money for public projects. Some states have state-run lotteries, while others allow private organizations to organize and run their own. Lotteries are a popular source of funds for charitable causes and other public benefits.

In early America, state-sponsored lotteries helped build the new nation and its infrastructure, from roads to jails. They also provided crucial funds for schools, colleges, and other public institutions, including Harvard and Yale. Famous American leaders like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin even sponsored private lotteries to alleviate their crushing debts.

Gamblers, including lottery players, often covet money and the goods that money can buy. However, God’s law against covetousness (Exodus 20:17; 1 Timothy 6:10) is clear: “Do not covet your neighbor’s house, his wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that is his.”