A lottery is a game in which players pay a small amount of money for the chance to win a larger sum. The first lotteries were held in the 15th century to raise funds for town fortifications and to aid the poor. Today, state lotteries are run as a business with the primary goal of maximizing revenues. As a result, they spend large sums of money on advertising and promotions to attract and retain customers. This article argues that state lotteries have become increasingly predatory. They exploit their customers by offering games that are addictive and regressive and by using deceptive advertising techniques. Moreover, they discourage participants from making responsible choices by not requiring that they read the rules of the game. This strategy has contributed to an increase in problems associated with gambling, including compulsive gambling and the exploitation of low-income groups.
The story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson takes place in a remote American village. The head of each family draws a folded slip of paper from a box; the only one marked with a black dot represents the winning ticket. The other slips are blank. This is Lottery Day, and there is a lot of talk among the townspeople. Some of it is not very nice. There are references to Abraham Shakespeare, who disappeared after winning $31 million and was found dead under a concrete slab; Jeffrey Dampier, who was kidnapped after winning $20 million and was found murdered by his sister-in-law and her boyfriend; and Urooj Khan, who dropped dead the day after winning a comparatively tame $1 million.