Most states and the District of Columbia have a lottery. It involves buying a ticket for the chance to win a big prize, like millions of dollars. Lottery players contribute billions to government receipts. It’s a low-risk, high-reward investment, and it can feel like a good way to help your community. But you might want to take a closer look at how those tickets are bought, and what they’re doing for your state’s revenue.

The word “lottery” comes from the Dutch noun lot, meaning fate or fortune. The first recorded lotteries in the Low Countries began in the 15th century. They raised money for wall building, town fortifications, and even to help the poor. The idea was that a lottery would be a painless form of taxation.

Large jackpots drive lottery sales, and they also provide a windfall of free publicity on news sites and on television. But it can be hard to balance that against the long-term odds against winning. Some states have increased or decreased the number of balls in the game to change those odds.

I’ve interviewed a lot of lottery players, people who have played for years, spending $50 or $100 a week on tickets. Despite the fact that they know the odds are against them, they keep playing. They say they play because it gives them a sense of purpose, because the money is there if they need it, and because they have a tiny sliver of hope that one day they’ll win the jackpot.