Kochi, Oct 4 (PTI) The first prize-winning ticket of the Thiruvonam Bumper lottery, worth Rs 25 crore, was sold from a lottery outlet in Nettoor near here on Saturday.
The winning ticket—’TH 577825’— was sold by agent Latheesh, who runs a retail outlet in Nettoor.
The Thiruvonam Bumper carries the highest first prize among all lotteries run by the Kerala State Lotteries Department.
Latheesh said he had procured around 800 tickets, priced at Rs 500 each, from the wholesale dealer Bhagavathi Agencies in Vyttila.
“Many headload workers buy tickets from my shop. I hope one of them wins because they always support my business. At least someone from Nettoor should win, as I have been here for the past 30 years,” he said.
He noted that agents also benefit from the prize money. “There is a 10 per cent commission for agents. I hope to get around Rs 2.5 crore. Unfortunately, I could not buy a ticket for myself, as all were sold out before noon,” he said.
This is not the first success for his outlet. “Just three months ago, a Rs one crore winning ticket was sold from here, though the winner remains unknown,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bhagavathi Agencies also sold the third prize-winning ticket of Rs 50 lakh, procured by agent Kaliraj, who had similarly sold a Rs 50 lakh winning ticket in the 2024 Thiruvonam Bumper.
The Thiruvonam Bumper draw was held in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of Finance Minister K N Balagopal and MLA Antony Raju.
Balagopal said sales of Thiruvonam Bumper tickets were rising each year, with buyers including visitors from other states. “Other than the Rs 25 crore first prize, 20 persons get Rs one crore each as second prize. The third prize is Rs 50 lakh,” he said.
He added that lottery sales also contribute to welfare activities. “Around 97 per cent of the revenue from lottery sales is distributed as agents’ commission and prizes. The share received by the government goes mainly for welfare schemes,” he said.
The minister also released the Pooja Bumper lottery and noted that ticket prices had been revised following the recent GST hike by the Centre. “However, we have ensured the prize money remains unaffected by adjusting the agent commission and government revenue,” he said. PTI TBA SSK
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