大象传媒

It is now hard to find a country that does not have a state sponsored lottery 鈥� even the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan recently adopted one. They have famously been called a 鈥渢ax for people who are bad at maths鈥� and make little economic sense for the individuals who play. Instead, lotteries allow governments to raise much needed revenue to be spent on 鈥榞ood causes.鈥� But there is more to lotteries than power-balls and million dollar prizes. Should we embrace them as a way of making life more fair? Presented by Michael Blastland.

(Photo: Lottery balls are seen in a box at a Liquor store in San Lorenzo, California. Credit: Getty Images)