Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

THE answer seems to be: almost everybody. And the easiest way to become one​—according to popular opinion—​is by striking it rich in a lottery or a soccer pool.a

Pandering to prevailing taste​—and wanting the extra income that lotteries generate—​governments from Moscow to Madrid, from Manila to Mexico City, sponsor State lotteries that offer prizes as high as a hundred million dollars.

Despite the universal appeal of lotteries, another form of gambling is enjoying increasing popularity: playing the slot machines. Although the one-​armed bandits don’t offer overnight riches, they do give the player an instant opportunity to win a jackpot​—which may be substantial. And they are no longer confined to casinos. Catchy jingles, flashing lights, and the occasional clatter of cascading coins advertise their pervasive presence in many European cafés, clubs, restaurants, and hotels.

Although the motives may vary, gamblers are certainly not a minority group. To a greater or lesser extent, 3 out of 4 adult Americans gamble; the proportion in Spain, another country where gambling is endemic, is similar. And gambling is big business. Only a few industrial corporations in the world have annual sales that exceed those generated by the lotteries in 39 countries.