The lottery is a popular game of chance that pays out prizes in the form of money. It has long been a common way to raise funds for public projects and services, from paving roads to building colleges. It has also become a major source of income for the poor. But, in a world where inequality is high and many people feel that their opportunities are limited, there are questions about the merits of the lottery as a form of taxation and about its impact on low-income communities.
The first lotteries in the modern sense of the word appear in the records of towns in the Low Countries in the 15th century, raising money for wall repairs and town fortifications. However, it is possible that the practice predates this. The term is probably derived from Middle Dutch loterie, itself likely a calque of the Middle French word lotinge, which itself is most closely related to the noun l’écluse “the act of drawing lots.”
Lotteries continue to play a role in raising funds for private and public purposes in much of the world. They are popular in Europe, where state-run Staatsloterij is the oldest lottery operating (1726). In colonial America, lotteries helped finance a variety of public uses, including paving streets and constructing wharves, canals, bridges, libraries, churches, and colleges. Benjamin Franklin sponsored a lottery to raise funds for cannons to defend Philadelphia during the American Revolution, and George Washington promoted one to fund his expedition against Canada.