The History of the Lottery

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Lottery, the chance to win money by drawing numbers or symbols, has a long history. The first recorded public lotteries in the modern sense—with tickets for sale and prizes in cash—were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century, to raise money for town fortifications and to help the poor. But the Bible warns against gambling and urges us to seek God’s provision through honest hard work: “He who works his hands to earn his living shall not eat of the bread of those who do not labor” (Proverbs 23:5). Despite this, the lottery has become an industry in its own right, generating billions of dollars annually. Some of it is spent on prizes, but most goes toward administrative costs and vendor payments, and some states use it to fund specific projects.