The Lottery is a story about blindly following traditions that have been around for a long time, even when those traditions are purposeless. It also shows how violence is more likely to be tolerated when it is directed at someone else. The story is about the lottery, but it could easily be replaced with any other tradition that people continue to follow blindly, regardless of whether it makes any sense or not.

In most states, the lottery is run as a business with a primary focus on maximizing revenues. This means that state officials are not only promoting gambling, but also convincing people to spend their money on it. This approach to a public service is problematic on many levels, not the least of which are its negative effects on poor and problem gamblers.

Lottery revenue is usually earmarked for specific public purposes, which helps to justify the program to general citizens. However, studies have shown that this approval is not connected to the actual financial health of the state government – in fact, lotteries have gained broad public support even when states are well-financed.

Moreover, the growth of lotteries has been driven by aggressive advertising campaigns and a desire to expand games. This expansion, in turn, has pushed up operating costs and the amount of money that is paid out in winnings. As a result, few if any state governments have a coherent “lottery policy.” Instead, decisions are made piecemeal, and state officials inherit a lottery industry that they can do little to change.