The Truth About the Lottery
The lottery is a game in which numbers are drawn for a prize. It is a form of gambling, and some people have an addiction to it. People are encouraged to play by the promise that they can become rich quickly, but the odds are against them and the money they spend is often lost. It is better to earn wealth honestly, and God blesses those who do (Proverbs 22:6). Lottery prizes are temporary, and the Bible warns against coveting (Exodus 20:17). The Bible also warns against gambling and dishonesty (1 Corinthians 6:9).
In the Low Countries of the 17th century, lotteries were common and helped to finance public projects such as hospitals and poor houses. They spread to England and the American colonies, and even despite Protestant prohibitions against gambling they were tolerated. In fact, the Continental Congress voted to use a lottery as a way to raise funds for the Revolution. Later lotteries were used as a painless form of taxation, and they became very popular. They were also a way to sell products or property for more than they could get in a normal sale. The Dutch state-owned Staatsloterij is the oldest running lottery (1726). Privately organized lotteries were widespread in America, and they accounted for most of the income from American games before they were outlawed (1832). They helped to finance many important public buildings, including the British Museum, and they funded the founding of colleges such as Harvard, Yale, King’s College, and Union and Brown.
Most modern lotteries allow players to mark a box or section on the playslip so that the computer will randomly select their numbers for them. This is a convenient option for busy people, and it can result in a very good win if the numbers are very high. The problem is that the same numbers are just as likely to come up as any other set of numbers.
Those who win the lottery are usually shocked to find that the tax bill will take half of their winnings or more. Sadly, many of them end up bankrupt within a few years of their big win. It is better to save the money that you might spend on a ticket and invest it instead. That money might grow to be a very large sum of money in the long run, and it will help you build an emergency fund or pay off debt.
Interestingly, the popularity of the lottery seems to have coincided with the decline in economic security for most working people. In the seventies and eighties, the middle class began to shrink, pensions were reduced, health-care costs climbed, and income inequality increased. This obsession with unimaginable wealth, embodied in the dream of the multimillion-dollar lottery winner, was a symptom of this decline in financial security. Instead, we should teach our children to value hard work and to build a savings account. It is better to have a few hundred dollars in an emergency fund than it is to lose them on a lottery ticket.