Since winning a lottery has an extremely low probability, it’s stupid to buy a ticket. Not assur, not evil, just stupid. Human nature, we live with it.
I view it as a form of entertainment. For $1, I buy the right to fantasize for a few hours about what I’ll do if I win. It’s among the cheaper forms of entertainment.
The chances of winning a lottery are usually so small that you don’t expect to win when playing.
It therefore can not be considered gambling.
It most certainly can. For starters, there are many people who, unfortunately, *do* expect to win. In addition, even seasoned gamblers understand that every game *must* favor the house — so no one can be said to be able to “expect” to win.
In the end, it’s gambling. Even I, who buy a ticket as a form of entertainment, still view it as gambling.
The Wolf