John Oliver Explains Why Lotteries Don't Really Help Fund Education

Anyone who's ever bought a lottery ticket needs to see John Oliver's explanation of how it all works.

First, there are the remote odds of winning, described on "Last Week Tonight" as akin to being struck by lightning while being eaten by a shark.

Secondly, there's the notion that playing the lottery can help fund education, which is supposed to make lottery players feel good about spending money on the games even when they lose. But as Oliver revealed on Sunday night, the truth about where that money goes might not leave you feeling very good at all:

In North Carolina, for example, the lottery promised to add an extra $500 million to education every year when it was launched a decade ago. Today, the state spends less per student on education than it did when the lottery began, Oliver said.

Check out the clip above for more.

In other "Last Week Tonight" news, Sunday night was the final episode of the show's freshman season, but don't worry, John Oliver fans: it's been renewed.

How could we ever forget?