I have recently read an interesting essay on this topic, but it was already explained it to me a few years ago.
The thesis would consist that, although the probability of winning classical lotteries is near zero (typically between 0.0000007% in the case of Euromillions and 0.000003% in the case of national lotteries), people is willing to pay an excessive overprice because they are buying the right to dream about the possibility of winning.
we even dream for impossible then why not for this very low odds ? I mean this is something that give them excitement and enjoying while trying to get lucky.
so I believe that what we have here is something extraordinary that only lottery bettors only knows.
Although there are extreme cases that get addicted to lotteries, this is quite uncommon if I'm not wrong, because, if you are not paying for the probability but for the possibility, a bet of 1 USD is enough to buy said possibility.
yes , that is on me as I only bet 1 dollar per betting and that is enough for 3 combination in my country so that should be enough to try the possibilities.
On the other hand, national lotteries are known to be "taxes on ignorance of mathematics", but if these revenues financed public expenses that revert to the common good: would you agree to pay systematically 1 USD more in your annual taxes as something that ensures the right to dream of a dear life of every taxpayer?
I care nothing about taxes because it is lottery that they will took off the tax if ever comes my way so i need not to worry.