Official Lottery

For centuries, states have used lotteries to raise money for a wide range of purposes, from building town fortifications to supplying the Continental Congress with guns for the Revolutionary War. They were a popular form of public financing, but not without critics. Many devout Protestants, for instance, viewed government-sanctioned gambling as morally unconscionable—even though the proceeds of their tickets often went to churches or other charitable organizations.

Even so, lotteries proved a popular source of public revenue in early America, as Cohen writes: It was “a country that, at least nominally, was committed to charitable causes but was short on cash.” State legislators hoped that the money raised by a lottery could maintain existing services without resorting to taxes—and without paying a political price.

But by the 1800s, the same religious and moral sensibilities that would eventually lead to prohibition began to turn against gambling of all kinds. Denmark Vesey, an enslaved man in Charleston, South Carolina, won a local lottery and used the winnings to buy his freedom. Corruption also worked against gambling, as lottery organizers were often allowed to pocket the profits without awarding prizes.

The New York State Lottery has been in operation since 1967, when it first introduced its slogan, “Your Chance of a Lifetime to Help Education.” It is one of the biggest and most profitable state lotteries in North America and generates over $3 billion in lottery aid for education each year. The Lottery offers a variety of games, including Scratch-Offs, Fast Play, and Keno. Players can track their winning numbers and prize payouts on the Official Lottery website or by scanning a ticket at a retailer.