The official lottery is a state-run gambling game that offers players a chance to win money or prizes through random chance. Lottery games are popular among vulnerable populations, including people with low incomes and those who face discrimination in the traditional economy.

The lottery has been around for centuries, and Cohen examines its history from ancient times to the modern era when state-run lotteries began to take off in the nineteen-sixties. At that time, state budgets were strained by population growth, inflation, and the costs of the Vietnam War, and balancing them required either raising taxes or cutting services—both unpopular with voters.

Advocates of lotteries claimed that they filled state coffers without increasing taxes and kept money in the hands of average citizens. But this fantasy was quickly disproved, as the first legalized lotteries produced proceeds that were far below expectations and fueled widespread corruption. In the case of one, the Louisiana Lottery Company, profits for its promoters skyrocketed while government officials were riddled with bribery and malfeasance.

Today, state-run lotteries are a major source of revenue for many states, though they remain controversial in some communities. The New York lottery is widely considered the most reputable of these, and its proceeds are largely dedicated to education. Despite the controversy, Cohen suggests that state-run lotteries are a powerful tool for improving public life and that they will likely continue to play an important role in American society.