The lottery has been a fixture of our culture for more than half a century, and while it might seem that it was invented by the same generation that birthed Instagram and the Kardashians, its roots go back to ancient times. It’s a game that attracts people because it promises them riches they probably won’t get, but it also offers a glimmer of hope that someone else—maybe even them—will win.

Lotteries are a form of gambling, but they differ from other forms in that the prize isn’t a fixed sum. The winnings are awarded by drawing numbers or symbols, and the odds of winning are usually stated as a percentage of the total pool. The size of the prize, costs associated with organizing and promoting the lottery, and profits for the state or sponsor are typically deducted from the pool. The remainder is available for the winners.

Those with little or no income play the lottery less frequently than those with a higher level of education, and the likelihood of playing increases with income. However, the number of tickets purchased by women, blacks, and Hispanics decreases with income while the number of men, middle-aged adults, and seniors increases. Moreover, as the price of lottery tickets increase, more people are likely to buy them, and they tend to play more often. Thus, the disproportionate impact of lower-income individuals on lottery playing is less clear than in other forms of gambling.