Synopses & Reviews
Review
Although Selling Hope is a serious work of economic research, the authors bring a lively curiosity and an engaging style of writing to their work...I found Selling Hope to be enlightening, even entertaining at times, and full of good reason for outrage over the lottery. Jonathan Kirsch
Review
This book had me grinding my teeth, muttering under my breath, underlining like crazy, and littering the margins with exclamation points...Lottery agencies are looking for ever more attractive forms of gambling--like tapping into professional sports. It's not too late to head off such questionable activity...Selling Hope should be required reading for anybody in a position to decide such issues. Los Angeles Times
Review
Immensely valuable...Scholars and public policy officials and analysts should quickly obtain this book. Even religious leaders should read it. Undoubtedly this landmark work will define the debate in the 1990s over establishing and maintaining lotteries in the United States. Brad Knickerbocker - Christian Science Monitor
Review
Whatever the criteria, this is a superb book...it has earned the right to be the basis from which public policy debates on the controversial issues can and should take place. David E. R. Gay - Social Science Quarterly
Synopsis
With its huge jackpots and heartwarming rags-to-riches stories, the lottery has become the hope and dream of millions of Americans--and the fastest-growing source of state revenue. Despite its popularity, however, there remains much controversy over whether this is an appropriate business for state government and, if so, how the business should be conducted.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [305]-316) and index.
About the Author
Charles Clofelteris Professor of Public Policy Studies and Economics at <>Duke University. He is also Research Associate of the <>National Bureau of Economic Research.Philip Cookis Professor of Public Policy Studies and Economics at <>Duke University.
Table of Contents
Preface to the 1991 Edition
PART I: The Setting
A New Role for the States
Magnitudes
The Fall and Rise of Lotteries
PART II: The Games and the Players
The Games People Play
Why (and How) They Play
The Demand for Lottery Products
Winners and Losers
PART III: The Government's Business
State Politics and the Lottery Bandwagon
The Suppliers
The Sales Pitch
PART IV: Lotteries as Public Policy
A "Painless Tax"?
Choices
Appendix: Supplementary Tables
Notes
References
Index