Lottery is a game of chance in which players try to win a prize by buying tickets. The prizes are often monetary; they can also be goods, services, or even a vacation. Depending on the rules of the game, there is an element of skill involved and some degree of risk for the player. Lottery games are generally regulated by state laws and usually delegated to a lottery board or commission, which may be a public agency or an independent private corporation.

Lotteries were first recorded in the Low Countries in the 15th century as a way to raise funds for town fortifications and to help the poor. By the 16th century, they had expanded to include more general prizes. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the state governments of France, Spain and Italy took over the running of the lotteries.

Traditionally, lottery games were simple raffles. The public would buy tickets for a drawing at some future date, sometimes weeks or months away. Since the 1970s, however, new innovations have changed the lottery business. Now, people can play lotteries online or purchase “instant games,” such as scratch-off tickets, that are redeemed at retail stores for cash prizes.

These innovations have helped lotteries grow rapidly. Americans spend over $80 billion on the games every year. Many of the winnings are used to build emergency savings or pay off credit card debt, but they also can be spent on cars and other consumer items. In fact, the most common reason that lottery winners go bankrupt within a few years of winning is over-spending and squandering their wealth.