Lottery refers to a form of gambling in which participants pay for tickets that contain a group of numbers or symbols and are then rewarded with prizes if their number or symbol matches those drawn by a machine. While the drawing of lots to make decisions or determine fates has a long record in human history (including several examples in the Bible), lottery as an organized public event for material gain is more recent, with the first recorded state-sponsored lotteries being held during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus to raise funds for repairs in Rome.
The modern lottery combines elements of games of chance with skills and strategy. Players buy a ticket, usually for one dollar, and can win big prizes including cars, vacations, home furnishings, or cash. Some states also hold sports-themed lotteries, in which winning entries are awarded with tickets for a specific game or team. Despite their popularity, both types of lottery are subject to intense scrutiny. Critics contend that they erode social trust, promote deception and dishonesty, and increase gambling problems among low-income individuals and other vulnerable populations.
Until recently, the majority of states with lotteries used the proceeds for education and other public services. But in the wake of rising state deficits and mounting public debt, this arrangement is increasingly being questioned. Many state officials see lotteries as a way to raise revenue without burdening the middle class and working classes. In the process, they are relying on an old, flawed argument: that it is all right to promote gambling because state governments will use the proceeds for the good of the people.
In the United States, lottery profits have been used for a variety of purposes since 1612. The first official lotteries raised money for the colony of Virginia and later helped finance towns, wars, colleges, and public-works projects. Lottery profits have also been used by private companies to raise capital for business ventures.
Today’s state-sponsored lotteries are a complex mix of public and private elements. Almost all have a large commercial component, which includes the sale of tickets and marketing campaigns that feature television and radio ads, the Internet, and billboards. The commercial component is important because state lotteries are run as businesses with a clear mission to maximize revenues. As such, they target specific constituencies, including convenience store owners; lottery suppliers (heavy contributions by these companies to state political campaigns are frequently reported); teachers in states earmarked for lottery revenues; and the general public, who are bombarded with lotteries advertising their big prizes.
This short story presents the evil nature of human beings, although they seem to deem their acts as normal and despite the consequences of it. It shows the way people behave with each other in conformity to their own cultures, beliefs and norms and that it is a continuous cycle of cruelty. Moreover, the main character in this short story depicts the cruel behavior of humans and shows how it is perpetuated by different people and how they treat each other.