Lottery is a type of gambling in which prizes are awarded by drawing lots. It has a long history in human society and is often used to make decisions and determine fates, as with the casting of lots in the Bible or for municipal repairs in Rome. Lotteries also have been used to give away land, slaves, and property.
Although the lottery is considered to be a form of gambling, it has a few characteristics that set it apart from other games of chance. First, the winnings must be paid out within a certain period of time after the draw. Secondly, the prize money must be evenly distributed. Thirdly, the odds of winning must be fairly high. Finally, there must be a way to prevent fraud and tampering with tickets. This is usually accomplished by printing a code on the ticket and using a special coating to prevent candling, delamination, or wicking.
In the story, the lottery has been a tradition in the village for years. Everyone seems to enjoy it until the night of the drawing. Then, the evil nature of humans is exposed. The villagers treat each other cruelly and with no remorse.
Jackson shows that even the most innocent people can be bad in their own ways. The way they greet each other and how they treat each other show how cruel and vicious they are. They do not question their behavior as it is a part of their culture and beliefs. They do not realize the negative impacts on their own lives as well as others.
