Lottery is a scheme of distributing something, usually money or prizes, among many people by chance. It can also refer to any event or process that is or seems to be decided by chance. The word lottery may be used in a figurative sense, for example, when someone speaks of winning the “love lottery,” meaning finding true love in an unexpected way.

Lotteries are popular with gamblers and are used in some countries to raise public funds for charitable purposes. They can be simple or complex, and the prizes vary in value and number. In some cases, the prize fund is a fixed percentage of total receipts (sweepstakes). In others, the number and value of prizes are predetermined and the winner is selected by drawing lots.

In some countries, notably the United States, winners can choose between receiving an annuity payment or a one-time lump sum. The one-time payout is often less than the advertised jackpot, due to the time value of money and income taxes, which must be withheld.

The purchase of lottery tickets cannot be accounted for by decision models based on expected value maximization because the tickets cost more than the expected gain, but it is possible to account for some purchases by using risk-averse utility functions or more general models that include consumption from other sources. The psychological appeal of the lottery is probably due to an innate human desire to experience thrills and to indulge in fantasies of wealth.