Lottery is a game where numbers are drawn and prizes, if any, are awarded to the winners. It’s a form of gambling, and it has been criticized in the past for being addictive.
Lotteries are a popular way to raise money for public projects. Their popularity is largely due to the fact that they can offer large jackpots, which attract the attention of news media and the general public. These large jackpots can also drive sales by giving the lottery a reputation for being a good way to win big money.
One problem with this approach is that it can obscure the regressivity of lottery playing. The lottery can make it seem like everyone has a chance to win, even those in the bottom quintile of income who have very little discretionary money left after paying for food, housing, and utilities. The truth is, though, that people in the poorest quintiles do not spend a large share of their income on tickets.
The state controller’s office determines how much lottery funds are dispersed to education. Click or tap on a county to see how much is allocated.