It gives hope to poor people

Online gambling is a much bigger problem. I can’t believe that’s legal.

Here in Texas at least, the lottery is state run and much of the money goes to help fund public schools and other charities or state programs. I've also never seen an ad for it in my mailbox. Just at gas stations and billboards.

I view it as a voluntary tax, with a chance to win big. Though of course any kind of gambling is problematic, I see this kind of lottery as one of the least problematic types of gambling.

Marketing is a cost that gets factored in the product cost. Obviously, more marketing = worse odds for any kind of gambling