A lottery is an arrangement by which a prize (usually money) is awarded to people who pay a small sum for a chance to win a larger amount. It’s a form of gambling, and it can be addictive. Some of the most popular lotteries are financial, with participants buying tickets for a chance to win a jackpot. Others are run to allocate things that are limited in supply, such as housing units or kindergarten placements.

I’ve talked to lottery players, and the number one thing that surprises me is how clear-eyed they are about their odds. They have these quote-unquote systems that are totally unsupported by statistical reasoning about lucky numbers and stores and times of day to buy the tickets, and they know that the odds are bad. But they play anyway, because they plain old like to gamble.

I’ve also been struck by how many of them say that they feel a sense of civic duty to buy tickets, because state lotteries raise money for good causes. And I’ve heard that argument before, but it just doesn’t hold up. It’s regressive, for one thing: The bottom quintile of income doesn’t have the disposable cash to spend $50 or $100 a week on a ticket, and so they miss out on opportunities for education, healthcare, and innovation that could give them a leg up in the job market. And even if they win, their winnings may be less than advertised, because of taxes.