Duy Khang, 36, from Ho Chi Minh City, said that whenever the jackpot exceeds 12 billion VND, he gathers people to buy tickets. "In the last drawing, three people in my group won the fourth prize. Normally it's only 100,000 VND, but that time each person received nearly 3 million VND," Khang said.

Nhu Quynh, 47, owner of a Vietlott kiosk in Ho Chi Minh City, said her shop previously had a steady stream of regular customers playing Keno and other high-jackpot matrix lotteries like Mega 6/45 and Power 6/55. Since Lotto 5/35 launched, the number of customers has increased, especially during jackpot distribution periods. "People come to buy tickets after work, and sometimes they stay until evening, waiting for the drawing. It's lively, like a festival," Quynh said.

Vietlott kiosks attract a large number of customers buying Lotto 5/35 tickets every day. Photo: Vietlott

Vietlott kiosks attract a large number of customers buying Lotto 5/35 tickets every day. Photo: Vietlott

Lotto 5/35 debuted three months ago. With its simple gameplay, this lottery quickly attracted a large number of players, becoming a new choice alongside familiar lottery products like Keno, Bingo 18, Mega 6/45, Max 3D/3D+, Max 3D Pro, and Power 6/55. According to several kiosk owners, the number of new customers has noticeably increased recently, ranging from young people eager to try new games and office workers seeking a midday thrill to older customers who already enjoy Vietlott products.

Lotto 5/35's appeal stems from its twice-daily drawings (1 PM and 9 PM), which means players don't have to wait long. Players choose 5 numbers from 1-35 and one special number from 1-12. They can choose the entire number sequence themselves or opt for "number packages" ranging from 4 to 15 main numbers or 1 to 12 special numbers to increase their chances of winning.

Lotto 5/35 prizes range from 10,000 VND to a starting jackpot of 6 billion VND, made even more attractive by its jackpot distribution mechanism. When the jackpot exceeds 12 billion VND, its value is distributed among other prize categories (excluding the consolation prize) in the 9 PM drawing the following day (the distribution drawing), provided that no one wins the jackpot in any of the preceding drawings.

The basic prize structure of Lotto 5/35 ranges from a 10,000 VND consolation prize to an accumulating jackpot starting at 6 billion VND. Photo: Vietlott

The basic prize structure of Lotto 5/35 ranges from a 10,000 VND consolation prize to an accumulating jackpot starting at 6 billion VND. Photo: Vietlott

The jackpot is distributed as follows: the first prize receives one-third of the jackpot value, and the remaining prize categories receive one-sixth. If there are no winners in any of the distributed prize categories, that category's share is divided equally among the remaining categories. This system significantly increases the actual value players receive compared to normal drawings.

The most recent distribution drawing (9 PM on 9/9) saw the jackpot exceed 21 billion VND—Lotto 5/35's highest accumulated amount to date—distributed among numerous winning tickets from first to fifth prize. Three first-prize winners each received over two billion VND (instead of 10 million VND), and 35 second-prize winners each received over 100 million VND (instead of 100,000 VND). Even the fifth prize, normally 30,000 VND, increased to 205,000 VND.

This explains why, during distribution drawings, Vietlott kiosks become gathering spots for lottery enthusiasts who sip coffee together while waiting for the 9 PM drawing. "The excited, suspenseful atmosphere creates a new experience compared to the familiar image of simply buying a lottery ticket," Quynh said.

To date, Lotto 5/35 has had 4 distribution drawings, each bringing significantly increased rewards to numerous players. The jackpot surpassed 12 billion VND in yesterday's drawing. If tonight's 9 PM drawing doesn't produce a jackpot winner, Lotto 5/35 will enter its 5th distribution phase.

The Dan

To try their luck at winning Lotto 5/35, players can purchase tickets at Vietlott kiosks and via phone (using the Vietlott SMS app).