In the United States, people spend more than $100 billion on lottery tickets annually. Lottery advertising is everywhere: on TV, the radio, billboards and online. The prize money is huge, and that’s the big draw for many. But there’s more to the story than just that inextricable human impulse to gamble. Lotteries also dangle the promise of instant riches in a country where inequality is high and social mobility limited. They target lower-income, less educated and nonwhite Americans, who make up a larger share of players.
The winners’ narratives that are crafted by the lottery’s media relations department are designed to show how ordinary lives can be dramatically changed through one ticket, tapping into aspirational desires. The more people play, the bigger the jackpot and the faster it grows. Ultimately, this drives up sales and the likelihood that someone will win, especially when the jackpot is in the millions or more.
It’s important to remember that the odds of winning are infinitesimal, but it can be worth playing if you do it for the fun and fantasize about how your life would change if you won. And there’s an added psychological benefit: regular players may diminish their losses and focus more on the times they won. That attitude keeps them coming back.
And, of course, lottery proceeds help states fund education and veteran’s health programs without increasing taxes. But that’s another message: even if you lose, you can feel good about yourself because you contributed to state revenue by purchasing your ticket.
