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Civic AI · Spooky Civic AI Hackathon
Scratch and Pray
A joke lottery ticket for rent and groceries that shows how absurd it is to leave basic needs to chance.
The problem
Rent, groceries, student loans and healthcare too often feel like a game of luck.
What they built
Type what you need, and AI prints you a one-of-a-kind ticket. Scratch off the foil to see your prize. Satire with a point.
Why it exists
Getting your needs met in New York often feels less like a system and more like gambling: the housing lottery, the waitlist, calling 311 again, reapplying for a benefit you already qualified for. So the team built the lottery.
How it plays
- Type a prayer: the thing you actually need.
- AI designs a custom ticket around your need.
- Scratch the silver with your finger or mouse.
- 1 in 10 tickets is a real jackpot. The other 9 grant your wish in a cursed way, like an ambulance ride to the wrong borough.
Summary adapted from the team's own project write-up.
