# ghetto lottery

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ghetto-lottery
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A financial windfall obtainable by a socioeconomically disadvantaged person.

## Examples

- He hopes to win the ghetto lottery with his new business idea.
- Many people in the neighborhood view professional sports as their only chance to win the ghetto lottery.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.