JOURNAL ARTICLE

Luck's Metropolis: Lotteries, Class, and Finance in Early New York.

  • Published In: Early American Studies, An Interdisciplinary Journal, 2026, v. 24, n. 1. P. 67 1 of 3

  • Database: America: History and Life with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Bright, Anders 3 of 3

Abstract

"Luck's Metropolis" shows how the lottery ticket market evolved in New York City between 1790 and 1820. Once an elite pastime associated with the common good, lottery gambling became an activity associated with a lower-class vice. This was a consequence of the emergence of corporations, which created new investment opportunities for elites. As a result, lottery entrepreneurs developed new strategies to market tickets to New York's working class. In doing so, they established the first fully functioning financial market in the country. The history of the lottery demonstrates how the emergence of financial capitalism opened new financial opportunities for some, while generating wealth inequality for all. In the face of widening inequality—and with few other outlets for their capital—workingclass New Yorkers turned to lottery gambling in droves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Early American Studies, An Interdisciplinary Journal. 2026/01, Vol. 24, Issue 1, p67
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Law
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1543-4273
  • DOI:10.1353/eam.2026.a984488
  • Accession Number:192203678
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Early American Studies, An Interdisciplinary Journal is the property of University of Pennsylvania Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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