As the clock strikes midnight, welcoming a new year is a global tradition celebrated with various customs and rituals. Across different cultures, the transition from one year to another is marked by unique practices that carry deep significance. In this article, we’ll delve into the captivating New Year traditions of Japan, focusing on the intriguing 年末宝くじ, or Year-End Lottery.
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Year-End Jumbo Lottery
Year-End Jumbo Lottery is a large lottery ticket sold toward the end of the year. In 2023, the tickets will go on sale from November 21st to December 22nd, and a lottery will be held on New Year’s Eve, December 31st.
Takarakuji (宝くじ) is a lottery with prizes sold for the purpose of contributing to the procurement of financial funds for the government. There are many kinds of lottery in Japan throughout the year. There is one called “Valentine Jumbo Lottery” released and drawn around February-March, “Dream Jumbo Lottery” released and drawn around April-May, “Summer Jumbo Lottery” released and drawn around July-August, the ‘Halloween Jumbo Lottery’ is released and drawn around October to November, and the “Year-end Jumbo Lottery,” which is released between November and December and drawn on December 31st.
Among the 5 types of big lotteries in Japan, the most popular of them all, is the Year-End Lottery.
How Popular is the Year-End Lottery?
Last December 19, 2023, when the lowest temperature in central Tokyo was 3.4℃, it was reported in the news that people who tried waiting in line up to 6 hours at some counters just to purchase lottery tickets at a “famous lottery ticket” at a “legendary soba shop” in Tokyo. Some customers even came from other prefectures just to get a hold of the year-end lottery tickets. (Source: NTV NEWS)
On X, Japanese people are sharing their excitement on being able to buy the last few tickets and desire to win this year’s Year-End Lottery, even praying for it in the shrine!
Japan Lottery in Statistics
In an intriguing lottery statistics released by Takarakuji last 2020, it has been found that 81.4% of Japanese people had experienced purchasing lottery tickets in their lives. The estimated population is approximately 85.72 million people. The percentage of individuals who have purchased lottery tickets at least once in the past is 81.4% (an increase of 6.9 points compared to their previous survey). The estimated number of individuals with purchasing experience is around 85.72 million (an increase of approximately 6.84 million), indicating a renewed upward trend and reaching the 80% range for the first time.
The “lottery population” with at least one purchase experience in the past year is 47.5%, equivalent to approximately 50.05 million people in the estimated population. This represents a recovery of 5.7 points compared to the previous survey, with an estimated population increase of about 5.83 million people, returning to the level of their previous survey.
Furthermore, the “lottery fans” who have purchased tickets at least once a month in the past year account for 10.6%. In the estimated population, this corresponds to approximately 11.12 million people, an increase of 2.9 points compared to the previous survey. In terms of estimated population, about 3.02 million people have once again exceeded the 10% mark in the current survey.
When asked about their reasons for purchasing lottery tickets, 70.3% said “for the prize money,” followed by “I have big dreams associated with lottery” – 45.4%. 33.1% said it’s just for the sake of entertainment and 28.7% said because it’s enjoyable whether you win or not.
Business Opportunities for Apps Related to Lottery
Learning more about this new year tradition in Japan, we can conclude that there is a huge business opportunity in Japan for lottery-related marketing promotions. Here are some ideas you can incorporate to your business in relation to lotteries:
- Customized Lotteries: Create your own lottery games with unique rules and formats. Design themed lotteries or special event-based lotteries to attract specific user groups.
- Scratch Cards: Develop a virtual scratch card feature within your app, offering instant-win opportunities. Users can purchase digital scratch cards with varying odds and prize amounts.
- Subscription Models: Offer subscription-based services where users pay a regular fee to participate in recurring lottery draws. This model can create a steady stream of revenue for your app.
- Customizable Lotteries: Allow users to create and customize their own lottery pools for friends, family, or specific groups. Users can define the rules, entry fees, and prize structures.
- Instant Wins and Daily Draws: Incorporate daily or hourly draws for quick and frequent opportunities to win. Instant-win games can keep users engaged and excited about the app.
- Progressive Jackpots: Introduce progressive jackpot mechanisms that grow over time until someone wins. This can create excitement and draw more users to your platform.
- In-App Purchases and Virtual Currency: Utilize in-app purchases for buying lottery tickets. Implement a virtual currency system where users can earn or purchase virtual coins to participate in lottery games.
- Partnerships and Sponsorships: Collaborate with businesses to sponsor specific lottery draws or events within your app. Partner with retailers, brands, or other apps to cross-promote services and gain mutual benefits.
- Traditional Lottery Integration: You can partner with established lottery organizations to integrate their games into your app. Offer users the ability to purchase lottery tickets directly through your app. Provide features like automatic number generation, ticket tracking, and result notifications.
Wrap-Up
In conclusion, the Year-End Lottery in Japan presents a robust market with diverse business opportunities. Understanding consumer motivations, engaging with the community, and offering unique experiences are key strategies for businesses looking to thrive in this cultural phenomenon.
If you are interested on learning more about new year traditions in Japan and business opportunities that come along with it, you can find our series of new year articles on this link.
