Official lottery means a game in which the winning numbers are determined by random drawing, and prizes are offered to the winners for payment of a consideration (such as property or money). This type of lottery can also be used for military conscription, commercial promotions in which products or services are given away, or for selecting jury members. It can also be a part of state and federal elections or political contests, such as selecting mayors.

A popular example of a public lottery is the New York State Lottery, which was founded in 1967 with a promise to use proceeds for education. Since then, the Lottery has raised billions of dollars, supporting schools in the state. However, a recent report from the Howard Center found that the state may not be following through on its pledge to invest lottery profits in K-12 education.

In the United States, there are 48 jurisdictions that operate lottery games. While some of these state lotteries have a national presence, most are run independently by individual governments. The two largest lotteries in the country are Mega Millions and Powerball, which have a combined player base of over 90 million people.

Although most of the players in these lotteries are adults, children under 18 years of age can also play. Lottery officials are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of these participants, especially those under 18. The lottery has made great efforts to ensure that all information on its websites is accurate. In the event of a discrepancy, the official results and lottery records shall prevail.