I think it's naive to value a lottery based solely on your monetary expected value. The value of money doesn't increase linearly, and isn't the same for everyone. $20 could have an inconsequential effect on my quality of life, while winning say $2 million could be a total life changer.
Likewise, the difference in impact between winning $0 and winning $2 million is likely a lot larger than the difference between winning $2 million and winning $4 million. So a straight EV calculation doesn't really tell the whole story.
There's also the entertainment value of participating in the lottery to consider, even when you win nothing.
I think there's more nuance than that. Winning enough to pay most of your house off wouldn't necessarily let you retire but it'd make you a lot more comfortable, for instance.
Likewise, the difference in impact between winning $0 and winning $2 million is likely a lot larger than the difference between winning $2 million and winning $4 million. So a straight EV calculation doesn't really tell the whole story.
There's also the entertainment value of participating in the lottery to consider, even when you win nothing.