If you’re a lottery player, you know that the odds of winning are pretty slim. But you also understand that the money you’re investing in a chance at a big jackpot isn’t just about entertainment value; it can be about realizing your dreams and rewriting your life story. The key is dedicating time and resources to studying the game and applying proven lottery strategies. And the success stories are real: Lottery winners have turned their winnings into houses, cars, and globetrotting adventures.

In a way, the lottery is just another form of gambling—but it has a bigger, more complicated history. As Cohen explains, it emerged in America’s early colonies as a means of raising public funds for things like roads, canals, churches, and colleges. But it also served as a political tool: States were scrounging for ways to maintain their social safety net without hiking taxes, and the lottery seemed like a perfect solution.

While the majority of Americans play the lottery, it’s important to remember that this is a very uneven playing field. A disproportionate number of low-income, less-educated, nonwhite players make up the bulk of lottery sales. For these groups, the lottery represents a last, best, or only hope for a better future. And as a result, many people go all in. It’s a gamble, yes, but it’s a very expensive one. That’s why so many people choose to play—and a reason why many of them lose.