lottery

/ˈlɒtəri/ noun (plural lotteries)

Definition

› [C] a game of chance, often organized by the government to raise money, in which people win cash if they have bought a winning ticket: The council applied for a £40m grant from the national lottery to redevelop local facilities.lottery ticket/jackpot/winner Last night's national lottery jackpot of €2.8m was won by two lucky ticket-holders.lottery funding/money/revenue The state is expected to have $15.6 billion in general fund and lottery revenues for the two-year budget period.

› [S] something that is affected by luck rather than being controlled by a fair process: With interest rates rising, some people feel that the property market is a bit of a lottery at the moment.

(Definition of lottery noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)