The official lottery is a game in which people pay to buy tickets and hope they win. The prize can be cash or goods. People can also buy entries into a number-based lottery to receive a fixed amount of money if their numbers match those drawn at random.

Lotteries began in the early 1770s in America to raise money for the Revolutionary War. Many Americans were against long-running lotteries and believed that they were a form of hidden tax, but the Continental Congress approved the first state-run lottery to raise funds for the colonial army in 1776.

Defenders of the lottery argue that players know the odds are low, but play anyway because they enjoy the thrill of the game and the possibility of a big jackpot. But research shows that lottery sales are regressive, with lower-income communities spending more of their budgets on the games than higher-income communities. Lottery advertising is also heavily concentrated in poor neighborhoods, leading them to believe that they can win a large amount of wealth quickly.

The lottery also provides a way for governments to finance public services without alienating antitax voters. These services can include education, elder care, public parks and aid for veterans. Some states have even started a program in which a portion of the revenue from the lottery is earmarked for education. The State Controller’s Office determines how much lottery funds are dispersed to a county or district’s educational systems.