If you’re a fan of sports, you might know that the NBA holds a lottery each year for 14 teams to determine which first pick they get to select out of college. The winner gets to draft the biggest star fresh out of school and potentially become the face of the franchise for years to come. This process might seem like a thing of the modern culture that birthed Instagram and Kardashians but it actually dates back centuries.

In the early days of American lottery play, states were able to control games and their structure as they saw fit, establishing a monopoly on gambling as a form of taxation. Lottery was a popular method of raising money for a variety of uses. For instance, many of the United States’ most prestigious universities were built on the proceeds of lotteries, including Columbia.

However, as state lotteries evolved, they tended to concentrate their efforts on maximizing revenues. This led to a focus on marketing and advertising, which was often at cross-purposes with public policy. The result has been a number of problems, such as the promotion of compulsive gambling and regressive impacts on low-income communities.

When playing the lottery, keep your tickets in a safe place and double-check them to make sure that you have the correct numbers. You should also write down the drawing date in a calendar, and check it again after the results are published. Lastly, it’s important to stay within your budget and avoid overspending.