Would Investing in Nvidia Stock Have Been Better Than Playing the Lottery?

Got $321 for a chance to supercharge your wealth? That amount is how much the average American spent on lottery tickets in 2023, according to research conducted by The Motley Fool using the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Winners of the Powerball jackpot in September took home nearly $2 billion. A shot at that kind of transformative income can make a $321 investment appear worthwhile.

How does that potential payout compare to putting money into one of the hottest stocks around -- semiconductor chip leader Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA)? Its shares are up around 40% this year alone as of Oct. 6. Comparing an investment in Nvidia versus the lottery can provide insights into how best to deploy your hard-earned cash.

Image source: Nvidia.

The lottery dream in contrast to reality

The lottery's get-rich-quick allure makes the gamble seem like a no-brainer. Moreover, the prizes are expected to only increase in value over time. Lottery organizers are motivated to do so because they noticed Americans tend to spend more on tickets when the jackpots are larger.

This helped states with lotteries rake in a record $103 billion in 2023 ticket sales. But that doesn't necessarily translate into riches for you. Your odds of winning a life-changing Powerball jackpot are a microscopic one in 292 million.

This reality contributes to lottery organizers seeking to entice you with increasingly bigger jackpots. It allows them to grow revenue in exchange for handing out rewards to just a few winners.

How Nvidia stock stacks up against the lottery

If lottery players had put their $321 into Nvidia in 2023, how would that have panned out? This chart reveals what would have happened in hindsight.

Data by YCharts.

As the chart shows, every person who invested $321 at the start of 2023 would have seen that total grow to thousands of dollars in just a couple of years. The result isn't life-changing, but it's far superior to no return for the vast majority of Americans who played the lottery.

While the future is uncertain, it's possible to see an Nvidia investment grow by buying more shares and holding on to them for the long term. The strategy makes sense with Nvidia since it's at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI technology is transforming industries from healthcare to finance. Governments around the world are pouring billions of dollars into AI. Nvidia is central to AI adoption because its chips are the key to delivering the computational power needed for AI systems to perform their jobs.

As a result, Nvidia's revenue in its fiscal Q2, ended July 27, soared 56% year over year to $46.7 billion. The company forecasted its sales to rise further in fiscal Q3, reaching $54 billion.

The Q3 prediction indicates the opportunity to invest in Nvidia isn't over. Adding to this is the company's blockbuster announcements of deals with Intel and ChatGPT creator OpenAI in September. These partnerships possess the potential for Nvidia to deploy millions of its AI chips in support of building out much-needed tech infrastructure, holding the promise of skyrocketing sales in the future.

The path to wealth accumulation

Putting money into Nvidia back in 2023 would have been a smart move, but of course, that's easy to say now. After all, not every stock is going to deliver that kind of outstanding return, and it's not a given which one will do so.

That's where investing in the stock market really shines. You don't need to choose a standout like Nvidia to see your investment grow.

Over the trailing 10 years, the stock market's total return was more than 250%. While the lottery's siren call of instant riches sounds compelling on the surface, the reality is that you have a much better chance of increasing your fortune on Wall Street.

This is especially true if you follow fundamental principles to build a strong investment portfolio. The majority of Americans are already taking advantage of the value of investing with 62% of U.S. adults owning stocks.

Even a meager sum to start can grow into big bucks that can help you retire a millionaire. That's a better use of $321 than lottery tickets.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.