Pocket worthyStories to fuel your mind

Has the Lottery Made Losers of Us All?

The lottery is about more than just luck. Explore its complex reality with these stories, from tales of big winners to critiques of its business model.

Pocket Collections

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

What would you do if you won the lottery? You know it’s never going to happen—you’re more likely to win an Oscar or get hit by lightning. But, it’s fun to picture yourself suddenly rich, free from the constraints of normal life.

The lottery captures our imagination as a fairy tale, but its reality is far more complex. For the millions of people who buy tickets every year, it’s a genuine, albeit misguided, attempt at economic security in a society where social mobility is increasingly out of reach. For U.S. states, it’s a source of revenue without any political battles over taxation. For lottery companies, it’s a billion-dollar business—and, critics say, a predatory one that targets poor communities. And for the tiny percentage of ticket buyers who actually win, it’s the fairytale come true, often with unexpected side effects.

The stories below explore the reality behind the lottery fairy tale, ultimately asking: Why do we keep playing a game we know we won’t win?

Image by 3d_kot/Getty Images.