The Lottery is a fixture in American life. People spend upward of $100 billion on tickets annually, and states promote the games as ways to raise revenue. But the money that flows from ticket sales is not without costs. Among the biggest: lottery prizes have a tendency to be skewed toward the poor, minorities, and people with gambling addictions. It’s a hidden tax, one that may make the lottery more harmful than helpful in the long run.

The idea of winning the jackpot is intoxicating, and that’s probably a big reason why it’s so popular. But what’s less well-known about the game is that it can be a trap for those who can’t afford to play with a clear conscience. And that’s a huge problem for a state-run operation that relies on the most frequent players to generate its most significant revenue.

According to the anti-lottery activist Les Bernal, a small group of players—who he calls super users—make up between 70 and 80 percent of total lottery revenue. Those super users know that the odds are long, and they have all sorts of quote-unquote systems for choosing numbers and buying tickets at certain times of day and in certain stores, even though those things don’t actually affect their odds of winning.

Those who have more financial resources are more likely to use the same methods, and they are also more able to rationalize their behavior. They understand that the odds of winning are not as great as advertised, but they feel compelled to play because it’s just something you do in this country. And that’s a real problem for state-run lotteries, which are often designed to be as appealing as possible to the super users.

Lotteries are a major source of revenue for many states, and the prize money can be eye-catching. But they haven’t always been popular, and they might be a bit of a bad fit for modern society. In the past, they were used to fund everything from military campaigns and township elections to public-works projects. Today, they’re a popular way to raise money for things like education and community development. But there’s a lot more to consider before putting money into the lottery.

Aside from the fact that there’s a lot of money to be won, there are also concerns about inequality and social mobility. Studies have shown that the lottery is a hidden tax, and disproportionately burdens low-income households. It’s a system that could be in need of an overhaul, or at least some scrutiny to prevent it from further exploiting the most vulnerable.