Official lottery is a state-run gambling game that draws numbers for prizes. Lottery players place a bet by paying an entry fee to have a chance of winning a prize. The money collected from ticket sales is used for a variety of public and private purposes, including education, infrastructure, and government services. Lottery profits are also often used to promote the games, and to encourage people to play.

Although lotteries are popular in the United States, they are not without controversy. The lottery raises billions in revenue for state governments, and it is one of the few forms of gambling that is legal. However, critics argue that the lottery is a poor use of taxpayer funds and promotes harmful behaviors.

The first public lotteries were held in the Americas to help finance Jamestown, and soon all 13 original colonies established them. These lotteries helped establish churches, libraries, and many of the first American colleges such as Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. By the 1800s, a wide range of private lotteries were also common.

In New Hampshire, Lottery profits are used to provide support for public schools. The Lottery’s Education Department disburses the funds based on estimates that are approved by the state budget process and Lottery earnings exceeding those estimates become part of the next year’s distribution. However, the Howard Center notes that low-income people end up paying for scholarships for middle-class and upper-class students from wealthy school districts far from where they live.