A lottery is a gambling game in which players pay a small amount of money to have a chance to win a large sum of money. It is typically run by a government, though private companies may also conduct lotteries. The first lotteries were held in Europe in the 15th century to raise funds for towns and the poor. The word ‘lottery’ comes from the Dutch noun lotte, meaning fate or fortune.
While winning the jackpot can be a great way to make a big chunk of change, it’s not without its risks. Vox’s Alvin Chang looks at a few of the pitfalls and tragedies that can come with it. There was Abraham Shakespeare, who won $31 million and was found dead in a concrete slab; Jeffrey Dampier, who dropped dead the day after winning $20 million; and Urooj Khan, who was kidnapped, shot and killed after winning a comparatively modest prize.
In America, states have been running their own lotteries since the late 1950s. In fact, the first multi-state lottery was formed in 1985 by Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont with their flagship Tri-State Megabucks. Today, 44 states and the District of Columbia run lotteries (including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico). Alabama, Hawaii, Mississippi, Utah, and Nevada don’t run lotteries, and the reasons for their absence vary: Alabama’s absence stems from religious concerns; Hawaii’s is due to the high cost of a lottery; and Mississippi and Utah don’t want to compete with the gaming industry in Vegas.