English Reference
Idiom idiom

ghetto lottery


A financial windfall obtainable by a socioeconomically disadvantaged person.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He hopes to win the ghetto lottery with his new business idea.

CONTEXTUAL

Many people in the neighborhood view professional sports as their only chance to win the ghetto lottery.

COMPLEX

While some critics dismiss the pursuit of sudden wealth as a desperate fantasy, others argue that the ghetto lottery represents a rare, systemic escape for those born into poverty.


Related idioms3entries
  1. 01

    genetic lottery

    The concept that any advantageous or disadvantageous genetic traits and abilities that a person inherits from their parents are largely determined by chance.

  2. 02

    ghetto bird

    A police helicopter, specifically in the context of patrolling or searching impoverished, high-crime urban areas (the ghetto).

  3. 03

    win the lottery

    To experience an extraordinary or highly fortunate event.

Last updated August 10, 2026