A lottery is a type of gambling in which people purchase tickets to win cash or prizes. Some lotteries provide large cash prizes while others give away goods or services. Some states even organize lotteries to raise money for public projects. The word “lottery” is derived from the Dutch noun lot, meaning fate or chance. People have been using chance-based systems to select winners since ancient times.

Today, state lotteries are thriving, with Americans spending an estimated $100 billion each year on tickets. But their storied history as a popular, sometimes controversial form of gambling is much more complex than just “people plain like to gamble.”

One of the most obvious reasons why lotteries are so popular is that they offer a tantalizing glimpse of instant riches. The glitzy, high-dollar jackpots that are advertised on billboards across the country make lottery games seem especially promising in an era of rising inequality and limited social mobility.

But if you’re a serious lottery player, you probably already know that the odds of winning are slim. The truth is that it’s a whole lot easier to be struck by lightning than to become a multibillionaire. That said, there’s still a little sliver of hope that somebody, somewhere will get lucky. And that’s why many of us keep playing.