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In the United States, there are a number of different types of official lottery. These include state-run lotteries, as well as big lottery entities that operate across multiple states. In the case of the state-run lotteries, there are specific laws that dictate how much money can be won and what type of games can be played. There are also specific rules that govern how prizes are paid out and how the winning numbers are selected. The state-run lottery is a popular form of gambling and can be extremely lucrative.
The modern official lottery began, Cohen writes, “in the nineteen-sixties.” By then, growing awareness of the enormous sums that could be won in the gambling business collided with a crisis in state funding. As America’s population grew, inflation rose and the costs of the Vietnam War soared, it became increasingly difficult for state governments to balance their budgets without raising taxes or cutting services.
As a result, some state legislatures decided to turn to the lottery. Although there were a few earlier attempts, this was the first to gain widespread acceptance in the United States.
The official lottery is a system of distribution in which a prize (typically money or goods) is won through a random selection process, known as a drawing. A prize may be awarded to individuals, groups or organizations. In order to participate, a person or organization must pay for a ticket. The official lottery is often distinguished from other types of gambling such as casino gambling, horse racing and sports betting.
