The lottery is a game of chance that involves paying for the chance to win a prize, often a large sum of money. Throughout history, lotteries have raised funds for everything from colonial militia to public works projects. But there’s something darker about the lottery: Many studies have found that people with low incomes play it more heavily, and that lottery play may be a disguised form of taxation on those who can least afford it.

There are a number of strategies that can increase your odds of winning, including choosing numbers with less repetition (like ones that don’t end in the same digit). In addition, it’s recommended to purchase more tickets, since each one has an equal probability of being chosen. But even with the best math-based strategy, there’s no guarantee that you’ll hit the jackpot.

Ultimately, there’s something inextricable about lotteries that draws people to them. They offer the hope of instant riches in an era of growing inequality and limited social mobility. And while lottery ads are often coded with messages about how much fun the experience of buying a ticket is, they also hint at a deeper message: that you can’t be rich without taking a big gamble.