A game where numbered tickets are sold and prizes — sometimes money, goods or services — are awarded to the winners. Lotteries can be run by governments or private enterprises. Generally, a lottery must meet the following criteria:

The prize pool must be large enough to attract players and generate revenues. Usually, some percentage of the money paid for tickets goes toward organizing and promoting the lottery and other expenses. Of the remainder, a percentage must go to prizes. Many lottery winners receive their winnings in the form of an annuity, or a series of payments over time. The amount of the annuity varies with interest rates.

In the United States, lottery games are typically run by state-authorized companies. A lottery can also be a form of charity.

Lottery play can be a fun and inexpensive way to try your luck. However, be aware that the odds of winning are very low. It’s important to treat the lottery as a recreational activity, rather than as a financial bet.

The history of the lottery is long and colorful. It’s possible that a game similar to the modern lottery was played as early as the Chinese Han dynasty, between 205 and 187 BC. The game was called keno and is believed to be the ancestor of today’s bingo.

Some of the earliest and largest public works in America were built with lottery proceeds. Benjamin Franklin ran a lottery to raise money for cannons for the defense of Philadelphia during the American Revolution, and George Washington used one to fund construction of a road over a mountain pass in Virginia. Today, the popularity of lottery games continues to grow. But so do the questions about whether running a lottery is an appropriate function for a government agency and about how much the games promote gambling.