I think an important difference between equities (your company's options, the regular stock market) and the other things (lottery tickets, digital commodities like Bitcoin, and traditional commodities like gold) is that equities are overall positive sum. The point of (most) businesses is to create value greater than their inputs. Speculating on commodities is in theory zero sum, but in practice negative. Actual lotteries are clearly negative sum. (US state lotteries return only about 60% of the input money as prizes.)

So if people aren't sure what to do with surplus time/cash, equity will (on average, over the long haul) produce a better return. Buying an index fund gives you zero control but good odds on a steady return; trading your time for equity (a company you start or one you join) gives you more control and narrow odds on a higher return.

There's no one right answer here, though. I'm happy with the startups I've done, but right now I'm happy to be banking a steady salary. A lot of this depends on one's situation in life and one's personal values, especially risk tolerance.