Throughout history, the drawing of lots has been used to determine ownership or other rights. The lottery is a modern version of this ancient practice, and it has become one of the most popular forms of gambling in the world. It is also one of the most controversial, with critics charging that it encourages compulsive gamblers and has a regressive effect on lower-income groups. Moreover, critics argue that much lottery advertising is deceptive, frequently presenting misleading information about the odds of winning the jackpot, exaggerating the value of the prize money (lottery winners generally receive their prizes in equal annual installments over 20 years, with inflation and taxes dramatically eroding the current value), and more.
Lottery players are disproportionately low-income, less educated, and nonwhite, and they are a comparatively large share of the population. But they are also a very active group: one in eight Americans buys a lottery ticket each week, and most of them play regularly. State lotteries are popular because they raise money for state governments without increasing the burden on the middle class and working classes.
This week’s story, Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, is a dark tale about the perils of tradition. The central theme is that the winner of a lottery is stoned to death by all the other inhabitants of a small town. This story is effective because it shows how powerful traditions can be, and that irrational behavior can take over people when they are exposed to the temptations of gambling.