The numbers game, also known as the numbers racket, the Italian lottery, Mafia lottery, or the daily number, is a form of illegal gambling or illegal lottery played mostly in poor and working-class neighborhoods in the United States, wherein a bettor attempts to pick three digits to match those that will be randomly drawn the next day.

A history video detailing the development of community gambling organizations and their methods in USA cities, especially NYC: "The Numbers Game": A Short History of The Black-Owned Harlem Lottery by blkbleaf

Today, many state lotteries offer similar "daily numbers" games, typically relying on mechanical devices to draw the number. The state's rake is typically 50% rather than the 20–40% of the numbers game.

Just tells you who the real mafia is.

It is worth noting that in some countries the national lottery gives the money to charities. Although that probably isn't the case everywhere.

when I lived in Pennsylvania I constantly saw lottery billboards and ads claiming the PA lottery "benefits older Pennsylvanians every day"

why the fuck this backwards ass state underfunding elder care to the point where the lottery has to subsidize it 🤦‍♀️ not the flex they think it is

why the hell is a state run lottery advertising in the first place!? advertising any kind of gambling is predatory. people know the lottery exists. the state, of all organizations, shouldn't be tempting people