Hanoi Lotto is an iconic lottery game in Vietnam that has become part of its culture and society. Players must guess a set of numbers, and if lucky, will win the jackpot prize. Playing Hanoi Lotto is easy, accessible worldwide and draws are held twice weekly to create anticipation and excitement! Despite its immense popularity it is essential to understand its rules before engaging.
At nightly lottery draws in downtown Hanoi, the air fills with grunts of resignation and triumphant fist pumps at lottery draws. Women wearing dull grey pants suits spin rickety green cages while barefoot young men smoke and gaze upon their palms where numbers have been written with pen. Huy, 13, waits patiently until hearing applause before dashes out the door with his worn plastic sandals before racing away at full speed with them tucked securely under his armpits.
Lottery sellers are a common sight in Vietnam, roaming streets selling “lucky tickets” in exchange for a few cents of profit. Unfortunately, due to disabilities or old age many can no longer work and turning a few tickets over can provide them with some much-needed income – without unemployment benefits or aged pension in Vietnam this can often be their only means of survival.
Most ticket sellers begin their day around 5 am, grabbing breakfast of rice and vegetable soup before heading out onto the streets to sell tickets. Good days can result in selling up to 250 tickets daily for an estimated daily profit of approximately 11 US dollars; although long and exhausting days await them if success prevails.
Other than the main prize, second and third place winners also receive awards. As your rank increases, so will the size of your award: VND 1.5 billion (approximately USD 64,000). Results can be found via television broadcast, online streaming services such as YouTube or at books of sellers or stalls locally.
Depending on your nationality and preference, when winning an international prize, money may either be given in Vietnamese Dong or your own currency. If personal receiving is impossible due to objective circumstances, then another lawful person can accept and collect your award on your behalf. If you want to transfer your prize overseas, first submit a request for transfer with the lottery company and wait for them to process and approve or deny your request before depositing into an overseas bank account. The company will notify you of the amount that can be withdrawn, thus safeguarding your privacy and avoiding unintended transactions. Before making deposits or withdrawals, always read carefully through all terms and conditions before taking action.
