After New Hampshire initiated the modern era of state lotteries in 1964, virtually every state has followed suit, and the overwhelming majority now have a state lottery. Generally speaking, they all follow the same pattern: the state legislates a monopoly for itself (as opposed to licensing a private firm in return for a share of profits); begins with a small number of relatively simple games; and, under constant pressure to increase revenues, progressively expands its operations by adding more complex games.

Despite the fact that the results of any lottery draw are based solely on chance, many people believe they can use special techniques to improve their chances of winning. For example, some recommend avoiding numbers that have a common history such as birthdays or the ages of children. Others recommend dividing the numbers into groups of three and two, or selecting all odd or all even numbers. However, if you want to really boost your odds, you should try a random number generator to get a random set of numbers.

Lottery has a long and varied history in the United States, with early examples including keno slips used by Roman noblemen during dinner parties and raffles sponsored by Benjamin Franklin to raise money for cannons to defend Philadelphia against the British. In colonial-era America, the lottery was used to finance projects such as paving streets, building wharves and churches, and even the construction of Harvard and Yale. George Washington sponsored a lottery to raise money for a road across the Blue Ridge Mountains.