Hanoi Lotto is one of the most beloved games in Vietnam, where players select six numbers between 1 and 45 from 1-5 tickets, with ticket prices varying depending on which numbers players select; top prizes reach over 1.5 billion VND; if no winner emerges from that draw, any funds remain for future draws; this lottery game can be found throughout Vietnam’s provinces with most revenue going towards social welfare programs.
Lotteries sales have become an integral component of the country’s economy, surpassing tourism as an economic contributor by far. While critics view lottery as gambling, officials maintain that proceeds raised from games go towards public services. First introduced into the country in 1962 and quickly becoming widespread since, lottery sales now provide poor households with their main source of income and an integral social welfare component of the national budget.
At nightly lottery draws in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, the air fills with grunts of resignation and celebratory fist pumps. Dozens of ticket-sellers line the streets selling tickets – many disabled or elderly who cannot work due to limited mobility; ticket selling has become their only means of survival as the government’s social welfare system cannot meet their needs yet. The lottery provides lifelines to many; ticket-selling has provided some with much-needed income in a time when social welfare systems do not support such citizens properly.
Each ticket costs 10,000 VND, with sellers receiving 10% commission per sale – about 50 US cents in this city of 5.2 million people, but certainly better than begging or theft. Social workers have encouraged children selling tickets rather than resorting to other forms of exploitation.
Tickets are printed across multiple provinces and players purchase those they think may hit. Peddlers provide pre-printed tickets and buyers select and pay for them before being taken away by them. Some players use cultural beliefs and practices such as consulting monks at temples or deciphering dreams to select their numbers.
As well as traditional paper tickets, lottery services also provide online gaming and mobile apps for convenience and accessibility. Mobile apps allow people to participate anytime or from any place while also checking results of previous draws – providing increased convenience and accessibility of lottery to more people than ever. In addition, online and mobile applications offer greater chances of winning big prizes while being easy for anyone without technical knowledge to use, thus becoming extremely popular across the nation.
