Year of Dragon scratch cards, lotteries have biggest pots ever

Taipei, Feb. 5 (CNA) A bonus of NT$200 million (US$6.37 million) was added to the jackpot Monday for Taiwan's Super Lotto, part of the record potential winnings aimed at luring participants in Taiwan Lottery Co.'s Lunar New Year scratch cards and lotteries.

Taiwan Lottery Co. first announced the record amounts up for grabs on Jan. 16, which was also the first day its five new lottery scratch cards were sold.

The five new scratch cards were designed for the upcoming Year of the Dragon, and will pay out over NT$19.9 billion (US$634 million) in winnings to lucky buyers.

To incentivise sales, there will be eight top prizes of NT$20 million for the NT$2,000 "Super Red Envelope" (2,000萬超級紅包) scratch card, up from seven offered for the Year of the Rabbit last year, the company said.

Some 69.34 percent of the NT$2,000 scratch cards -- the most expensive of the five Year of the Dragon cards available -- will win a prize of at least NT$1,000, although the chances of winning a prize greater than NT$2,000 (from NT$5,000 to NT$20 million) was 10.3 percent, according to company figures.

In addition to the NT$20 million top prizes, there will be 10 second prizes of NT$2 million plus a Benz Mercedes GLA180 sports utility vehicle (SUV) 2024 edition, and 1,000 third prizes valued at NT$1 million each, out of nearly 10 million cards issued.

The four other scratch cards will be the "Golden Dragon Awards" (金龍獎) card, sold at NT$500, the "Fortune of the Gold Dragon (金龍報喜)," and "Lucky Red Envelope (幸運紅包)" cards, both sold at NT$200, and the "Every Dragon Wins (攏好運)" card being sold at NT$100.

To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, which represents good fortune because of its status as the only mythical beast in the Chinese zodiac, the company has made the Golden Dragon Awards card a certain winner.

Those who purchase one of those cards are guaranteed to win between NT$100 and NT$3 million, though only 14.4 percent of the cards will offer a prize exceeding NT$500 (NT$600-NT$3 million).

According to Taiwan Lottery, the five new scratch cards, to be sold until July 16 or while stocks last, offer 23.47 million prizes with a combined jackpot of more than NT$19.9 billion, the highest in the company's history.

Lunar New Year lotteries

For the nation's lottery games, Taiwan Lottery Co. will add NT$970 million (US$30.69 million) in prize money to the jackpots of several lotteries in celebration of the Year of the Dragon, including NT$200 million to the Super Lotto jackpot.

Because the addition is the biggest increase in prize money in seven years, major lotteries such as Lotto 6/49, the Super Lotto, and BINGO BINGO will boast much larger jackpots than last year, the company said.

The additional prize money for Lotto 6/49 can be won in two different ways.

The first way will be through a daily draw held by Lotto 6/49 for 19 days in a row from Feb. 6 to Feb. 24, marking the longest period that a daily draw will be held in the lottery's history.

The draw for Lotto 6/49, in which lottery ticket buyers have to pick the correct six numbers drawn from a total of 49 numbers, is traditionally held every Tuesday and Friday.

The second way to win the bonus will be through a special 360 draws held from Feb 6. to Feb. 10, according to Taiwan Lottery.

For the special draws, buyers can win with six numbers from the nine winning numbers drawn. Those who have any six of these nine winning numbers will win NT$1 million or share the prize money with other lucky buyers who have also selected the same six winning numbers.

If the special draws fail to generate enough winners to collect the total prize amount of NT$360 million by Feb. 10, Taiwan Lottery will continue to hold special draws until Feb. 24 in a bid to fully distribute the amount, according to the company.

From Feb. 2 to Feb. 18, Taiwan Lottery will offer seven times the buyer's bet, up from the usual six times, as prize money for BINGGO BINGGO, where lottery ticket buyers bet on a big or a small number, or an odd number or an even number being drawn.

The duration of 17 days is also a new high for the number of days the game has been played, the company said.