Lotteries are a common way for governments to raise money. They are often a source of public revenue in many jurisdictions, and are used for a wide variety of purposes, including supporting education.

In the United States, lottery sales in fiscal year 2019 topped $91 billion dollars. In addition to state-run lotteries, the federal government has two national games – Mega Millions and Powerball – which have large jackpots.

Several jurisdictions in the US have organized multi-state lotteries that span multiple geographic footprints, and these games typically offer larger jackpots than local games. A few of these are based on a traditional game of numbers, while others feature games such as keno and video lottery terminals.

The official lottery in each jurisdiction operates independently, and there is no central organization for lotteries in the country. However, lottery groups organize joint games in various ways, with the largest game being Tri-State Megabucks.

There are 48 jurisdictions in the United States that operate a lottery, 45 of which are state governments. The District of Columbia and Puerto Rico also participate.

New York is one of the oldest and largest states that offers a lottery. Its profits are dedicated to supporting K-12 schools in the state.

The lottery is a major revenue source for the state, with the profits going to the General Revenue Fund until 1985 when a law was passed that earmarked the proceeds for the Common School Fund. Since then, the lottery has contributed over $24 billion to support public schools across the state.