The lottery is a game of chance in which numbers are drawn at random and prizes are awarded to the holders of tickets. It is a popular form of gambling and has been used for centuries as a method of raising money for a wide variety of public purposes.

Some people play the lottery regularly, spending $50 or $100 a week on tickets. When you talk to them, they’re clear-eyed about the odds. They may have quote-unquote “systems” — which aren’t based on statistical reasoning — about lucky numbers, stores, times of day to buy, and what kinds of tickets to buy. But they know that the odds are long, and that they’re probably not going to win.

But states promote the lottery as a way of raising revenue, which is important for state budgets. And it’s true that the lottery generates significant revenues — about $90 billion in 2021 — that help support services for everyone, including those who don’t play.

In fact, there is a case to be made that state lotteries are an efficient and equitable way to raise funds for public usages, because they don’t place the burden on low-income groups, as do other taxation methods like sales taxes. But the question remains whether that justifies the costs to people who lose money on tickets. And, in particular, whether the entertainment value of a lottery ticket — or the non-monetary benefits — outweighs the disutility of losing a substantial amount of money.