What is the Lottery?

In most countries, lotteries are public games with a prize pool that consists of money or other goods or services. Players purchase tickets and choose numbers or symbols; these are then randomly selected by a drawing, usually done by hand, although more recently computerized systems have been used. The winner receives the prize, which is typically a single lump sum payment, or an annuity consisting of 29 annual payments (the last of which increases by 5% each year). The winners are typically subject to certain tax requirements and restrictions.

The Lottery

The short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson illustrates the dangers of blind conformity to harmful traditions and customs. Jackson’s use of a peaceful village setting and a lottery ritual lulls the characters and readers into a false sense of security, underscoring the brutality that is to come.

Purchasing a lottery ticket cannot be accounted for by decision models based on expected value maximization, because the probability of winning is less than the cost of the ticket. However, people buy tickets anyway, either because they misunderstand the mathematics, or because they enjoy the entertainment value and fantasy of becoming wealthy.

When a lottery jackpot gets big, such as the current record-setting Powerball prize of $1.765 billion, many people rush to buy tickets. They may think they are investing $1 or $2 for the chance to win hundreds of millions of dollars, but they may actually be contributing billions in government receipts that could have been saved for retirement or college tuition.