Lotteries are public games of chance in which people purchase tickets for the opportunity to win a prize. They have been around for centuries in various forms. They are an important source of tax revenue in many states and are used to fund many public programs, including infrastructure, education, and gambling addiction initiatives.

The first recorded lotteries to offer tickets for sale with prizes in the form of money were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. These were held to raise funds for town fortifications and for aiding the poor.

In colonial-era America, they were used to finance projects such as paving streets, constructing wharves, and building churches. They also helped fund the founding of colleges, especially Harvard and Yale.

Despite their long history, there is still much debate about the appropriate role of lotteries in public life. There are concerns about their effects on compulsive gamblers, alleged regressive impact on lower-income groups, and other problems of public policy.

Governments have a number of interests in running a lottery: maximizing revenues, encouraging competition, and minimizing risk. These competing objectives often conflict.

The government must balance these objectives against the wishes of the general public. This is particularly true for state governments.

Once the lottery is established, the state must decide whether to continue with a relatively small number of games (with modest payouts) or expand the operation. This is influenced by constant pressures for additional revenues and by changes in the state’s financial situation.