'But it is not this out of left field idea.
But as a result, the lottery is not like legalizing marijuana, which actually does happen very briefly in a couple of states in the 70s. Some scholars say as early as the construction of the Great Wall of China, was funded in part through moneys raised for lotteries. Cohen: 'Lotteries have been used for raising money for civic purposes, as far as I can tell, back to the 15th century in Genoa. Program director of American Institutions, Society and the Public Good at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Author of For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America. Today, On Point: The real winners and losers in America's lottery obsession. Including every state that relies on lottery revenue.
That's more money than you spend on books, sports tickets, video games, music and movie tickets combined.Ī few big winners, a lot of losers. Sign up for the On Point newsletter here.Īmericans spend almost $100 billion on state lotteries annually. Facebook Email The lottery ticket display behind the counter at College Convenience on Huntington Avenue.
