Whether it’s a lottery for units in a subsidized housing block or kindergarten placements at a reputable public school, the odds of winning are based on a complex web of probabilities. The more you understand how a particular lottery works and the strategies involved, the more likely you are to become a winner.

The practice of deciding fates and distributing property by drawing lots has a long history in human society. Its biblical roots reach back to the Lord instructing Moses to take a census of the people of Israel and divide their land by lot; and Roman emperors used lotteries for giving away slaves and property during Saturnalian feasts and other entertainments. But the modern state-sponsored lottery is a relatively recent invention, and it continues to evolve.

Once a lottery is established, it develops extensive specific constituencies, including convenience store operators (the typical vendors for lotteries); suppliers of equipment and services for the games (heavy contributions by these companies to state political campaigns are frequently reported); teachers (in states in which lottery revenues are earmarked for education); and state legislators, who quickly become accustomed to a steady stream of revenue.

The growth in lottery revenue has begun to plateau, provoking criticisms of the earmarking of proceeds for specific purposes such as education. Critics argue that earmarking simply reduces by the amount of the lottery funds the amount of money the legislature would have otherwise had to allot for the program from the general fund, and allows it to use the remaining lottery revenue for other purposes.