In everyday English, "lottery" can also mean any situation whose outcome depends on luck. In decision theory, a "lottery" is a model of uncertain payoffs.
Lottery, Bingo & Number Games
Lottery
A lottery is a gambling arrangement where participants pay to enter, one or more prizes are awarded, and the winners are chosen entirely by chance.
- Legal definition (UK)
- Payment to participate + prize(s) + allocation wholly by chance.12
- Simple vs complex
- A simple lottery has one chance-based stage; a complex lottery may have later skill stages but the first allocation must be by chance.23
- Also called
- Lotto, raffle, tombola, sweepstake in UK guidance.84
Key points
- The UK Gambling Act 2005 defines a lottery by three elements: payment, prize, and chance — all must be present.12
- A complex lottery remains a lottery if the first prize-allocation stage relies wholly on chance, even if later stages involve skill.23
- Common types include simple lotteries (single draw), complex lotteries (multiple stages), and exempt lotteries (small-scale, non-commercial).64
- The term 'lottery' is broader than 'jackpot lottery' — not all lotteries have a rollover top prize.7
How a lottery works
Participants buy a ticket or entry, paying a fee. A random process — such as a draw, a random-number generator, or a raffle — selects one or more winners. Prizes are then awarded to those winners. In a complex lottery, the first stage must be chance-based; later stages may involve skill, but the arrangement is still a lottery under UK law.12
Types of lottery
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Simple lottery | Single chance-based draw; no skill involved.2 |
| Complex lottery | Multiple stages; first stage is chance, later stages may involve skill.23 |
| Exempt lottery | Small-scale, non-commercial, or incidental lotteries not requiring a licence.4 |
| Society lottery | Run by a non-commercial organisation for charitable purposes.5 |
Common questions
What is the powerball lottery jackpot?
Powerball is a multi-state US lottery game. Its jackpot is the top prize, which starts at a minimum amount and rolls over if no one matches all numbers, often reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
What is powerplay in powerball lottery?
Powerplay is an optional add-on for Powerball tickets that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x, depending on the draw. It costs an extra $1 per play.
What is the lottery powerball up to?
The Powerball jackpot amount varies by draw. It is announced before each drawing and can be found on official lottery websites or news outlets. It increases each draw without a winner.
What is the powerball lottery numbers?
Powerball numbers are the winning combination drawn in each Powerball game. They consist of five white balls (1–69) and one red Powerball (1–26). Results are published after each draw.
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- Jackpot lottery — a lottery with a rollover top prize, while lottery does not require a jackpot
Related terms
Sources
- Definition of a lottery gamblingcommission.gov.uk Provides the statutory definition of a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005.
- Lotteries and the Gambling Act 2005 - Definition of a lottery gamblingcommission.gov.uk Explains simple and complex lotteries and the three-part test.
- Gambling Act 2005 - Explanatory Notes legislation.gov.uk The Gambling Act 2005 explanatory notes clarify the legal framework.
- The Legislative Reform (Exempt Lotteries) Order 2015 legislation.gov.uk Defines exempt lotteries and the term 'sweepstake' in UK law.
- Promoting society and local authority lotteries gamblingcommission.gov.uk Details society lotteries run for charitable purposes.
- Lottery submissions guidance - Common terms and ... gamblingcommission.gov.uk Lists common terms used in lottery submissions.
- Gambling Act 2005 - Explanatory Notes - Legislation.gov.uk legislation.gov.uk Distinguishes jackpot lotteries from general lotteries.
- Lottery en.wikipedia.org Provides the alternative names and common understanding of lottery.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.