How the Lottery Is Marketed

The lottery is a fixture of American life — people spent over $100 billion on tickets in 2021 alone, and it’s one of the most popular forms of gambling. Yet there’s a lot about the way it’s marketed that’s misleading.

Most states run a lottery, where numbered tickets are sold to raise money for public purposes. The winning ticketholder is then given a prize, which can be cash or goods. There are also private lotteries, where participants pay an entrance fee for a chance to win. The latter may be legal or illegal, depending on state law.

The game’s appeal lies in the fact that it’s a low-risk, high-reward activity. The odds of winning are long, but there’s always a small sliver of hope that you’ll be the next big winner. This irrational gambling behavior can be dangerous, as it can lead to addiction.

In a recent piece for the Atlantic, Adam Ortman writes that lottery marketing aims to convince people that buying a ticket isn’t a waste of money and it’s actually a good thing for their communities. He argues that it’s important to examine whether that claim is true before jumping on the bandwagon.

I’ve spoken to a lot of lottery players, and they aren’t the irrational, duped gamblers you might expect. They go into the lottery with their eyes open, knowing that the odds are bad, and they know that there’s no way to improve them. They also understand that they’re taking a risk, and they’re willing to do it for the opportunity at a better life.