A lottery is a gambling game that is used to raise money. The winner receives a prize, usually cash or goods, depending on the lottery rules. Lottery winners are selected by drawing a number from a pool of entries. This process is often monitored to ensure the fairness of the draw. The use of cameras and tamper-evident seals are also common measures in place to prevent fraud. Lottery employees are required to undergo training and background checks.

The first recorded lotteries appeared in the Low Countries during the 15th century, raising funds for town fortifications and helping the poor. However, it is possible that they are much older. In ancient Rome, the emperors gave away property and slaves through lotteries. Even today, the apophoreta is a popular dinner entertainment, in which guests are given pieces of wood with symbols on them, and then toward the end of the meal a drawing takes place for prizes.

Unlike most state revenues, which are dependent on tax rates and other factors beyond the control of lottery officials, lottery proceeds have consistently won broad public support. The popularity of lotteries is particularly strong in times of economic stress, when fears of tax increases or cuts in needed services can stoke popular anxiety. But research shows that the objective fiscal condition of the state has little bearing on whether or when a lottery is established.

Nonetheless, the debate over lottery policy shifts from its general desirability to specific issues such as its impact on the poor and problem gamblers. Because lottery commissions are businesses with a primary goal of maximizing revenue, they must market the lottery to target groups in ways that are at cross-purposes with public policy goals.