Two NT$10 million prizes still unclaimed in last year's invoice lottery

Taipei, March 22 (CNA) Two prizes for NT$10 million (US$312,418) and four for NT$2 million have not yet been claimed since the November-December draw in the invoice lottery last year, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Friday.

One of the NT$10 million winning receipts was for the purchase of food costing NT$144 at a 7-Eleven in New Taipei's Tamsui District, while the other was for cigarettes costing NT$125 at a FamilyMart in Changhua County's Puyan Township, the MOF said.

The eight-digit serial number that won the NT$10 million special prize in last year's November-December lottery was 63603594.

According to the ministry, the four unclaimed NT$2 million grand prizes included receipts for the purchase of an NT$16 item at a TK Mart supermarket in Hualien City, and an NT$50 transaction at a CPC Corp. gas station in Taoyuan's Zhongli District.

The two other winning receipts, were for drinks at a 7-Eleven in New Taipei's Linkou District and at a Le Phare beverage store in Taichung's North District, the ministry said.

The serial number for the NT$2 million grand prize November-December 2023 draw was 73155944. The winners have until May 6 to claim their prizes, according to finance ministry.

The next draw in the invoice lottery, which is held every two months, will be on March 25 for receipts issued during the January-February period.

The uniform invoice lottery system, as it is called, was created to encourage consumers to collect sales receipts as part of the finance ministry's efforts to prevent tax evasion by vendors.

The lottery is funded by 3 percent of annual business tax revenues, with the tax built into the prices of most goods and services, in accordance with Taiwan's laws and regulations.