Scores flock to try their luck as American-style jackpot launched in Hanoi

By Giang Huy December 5, 2016 | 05:30 am PT

Five winners from the south have been announced since mid-October, giving Vietlott's Mega game a major sales boost.

Vietlott, the operator of an American-style lottery, on Monday officially expanded to Hanoi with 150 agents, hoping to replicate its success of the past few months in the south.

Five winners have been announced since mid-October with top prizes ranging from $2.4 million to more than $4 million.

This winning streak has worked out well for Vietlott. Sales have surged in recent weeks and Monday's launch in Hanoi attracted a large number of new players.

The first gamers in an agent in Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District.

The first customers of an agent in Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District. Photos by VnExpress/Giang Huy

In January, the company signed an exclusive 18-year contract with Malaysian conglomerate Berjaya to launch a computerized lottery.

The Mega 6/45 is the company's first foray into the market and will be followed by other services.

The name Mega 6/45 explains it all: players select six numbers from 1 to 45 and win a jackpot that starts at VND12 billion ($538,000) by matching all six numbers from the draw. Each ticket costs VND10,000 (40 cents).

The jackpot prize will keep growing until there is a winner. The odds of winning have been estimated at around one in 8.14 million.

Vietnam generally does not allow its citizens to gamble, but lottery tickets are popular across the country.

Traditional lottery tickets in Vietnam have predetermined numbers printed on them, with the highest prize set at VND1.5 billion ($65,900).

Facing tough competition from Vietlott’s Mega game, the companies behind these traditional tickets have decided to raise the top prize by 33 percent to VND2 billion, starting next year.

Gamers can either choose numbers themselves or get numbers given randomly by computers.

Mega 6/45 gamers can either choose the numbers themselves or get numbers given randomly by computers.

A ticket seller is explaining the games rules to new gamers.

A ticket seller explained the game’s rules on Monday.

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This agent in Hang Voi Street said it was a quiet day for him because he had a low-key launch. Most of his first customers were neighbors from the same street. His sales were about VND2 million ($868), he said.