A lottery is a game in which people buy tickets to win prizes. Prizes may be money or goods. Some governments use lotteries to raise money for public projects. The practice dates back to ancient times, and early documents mention drawing lots for ownership of property or other rights. The first lotteries that offered cash prizes were established in the Low Countries during the fifteenth century. They were used to fund town fortifications and charity for the poor.

In the United States, state-run lotteries grew popular in the nineteen-sixties as political leaders faced budget crises caused by inflation, aging populations, and the Vietnam War. Balancing the budget became difficult without raising taxes or cutting services, which were highly unpopular with voters. Lotteries appeared to be a “budgetary miracle” that allowed politicians to raise revenue seemingly out of thin air, Cohen writes.

The popularity of lotteries reflects the human desire for chance and good fortune. But while they promise hope, they often bring despair and frustration. Whether it’s a lottery for kindergarten admission at a prestigious school or a lottery to determine who gets the first draft pick in professional sports, lottery demonstrates that human greed can have disastrous consequences for the well-being of others.

This short story presents the evil nature of human beings and how people condone such evils with little regard to their negative impacts. Moreover, it shows how a society can be characterized by the existence of such oppressive norms.