[insightcheck]

My view is that voting can still have a significant impact, even if you lose an election. A district seen as "safe" for one party that suddenly becomes more contested after one election (which happened many times recently) can inspire more attention to the district and its issues by more parties.

A narrow win or loss, in many contexts, can also lead to different decisions by the winners (especially if they seek re-election later) compared to a massive win or massive loss. In addition, voting is free (except for the time spent), whereas the costs from lottery tickets can add up.

I agree with you, though, that the lottery can actually have societal benefits. A notable example is that in Georgia, USA, a scholarship program for university is funded entirely by the state's lottery system (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HOPE_Scholarship).