Lotteries began to fall out of favor in the U.S. in the 1800s because of concerns over fraud, mismanagement and impacts on poor people. But starting in the 1960s, states began to legalize them to help address financial shortfalls without raising taxes. ????? ???????  

Sweepstakes were common in the American colonies, helping to pay for the revolution against Britain. Cohen noted in his book that Thomas Jefferson approved of lotteries, writing that they were a tax “laid on the willing only.” ????????????

In Rome, emperors and nobles held drawings at dinner parties and awarded prizes that ranged from terracotta vases to people who were enslaved. As early as the 1400s, lotteries were used in Europe to fund city defenses and other public works. ?????  

Meanwhile, Mega Millions' ticket prices will rise from $2 to $5 in April. The increase will be one of many changes that officials say will result in improved jackpot odds, more frequent giant prizes and even larger payouts. ????? ???????  

“The question lurking is, what happens when $1 billion becomes routine and people don’t care about it anymore?” said Jonathan D. Cohen, author of the 2022 book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” ????????????