Taiwan Lottery to add NT$800 million to Dragon Boat Festival jackpots

Taipei, May 26 (CNA) To boost sales and celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, Taiwan Lottery announced on Tuesday it will raise the jackpots of several of its lotteries by a total of NT$800 million (US$25.43 million).

Speaking to reporters, Taiwan Lottery President Hsieh Chih-hong (謝志宏) said the popular Lotto 6/49, in which lottery ticket buyers have to pick six from a total of 49 numbers to win the top prize, will be among the popular lotteries to kick off the promotional campaign.

Starting from June 5, Lotto 6/49 will have 100 special draws in addition to its regular draws, Hsieh said.

The special draws will follow the same rules as regular draws, Hsieh added, with six winning numbers drawn and ticket buyers who selected the numbers winning a cash prize.

For the special draws, winners will receive NT$1 million or share the prize money with other ticket holders who also have the six winning numbers, according to Hsieh.

If there are special draws in which nobody wins, they will continue to be held until all 100 NT$1 million special prizes are distributed or until July 17, Hsieh said.

The Lotto 6/49 draw is held every Tuesday and Friday.

The BINGO BINGO game, in which lottery ticket buyers bet on a big or a small number or an odd number or even number every five minutes, will also provide higher prize money from June 5 through July 5, he added.

As for the game, the prize money will be raised from the regular NT$1,200 to NT$1,500 for winners of the "super number," where the winning number is the same as the 20th and final draw of each game.

Prize money for a bet on a small or big number or bets on odd or even number will be raised from the regular NT$150 to NT$175, Hsieh said.

According to Taiwan Lottery, each BINGO BINGO bet costs NT$25.

In addition, "39 Happy Lottery," a smaller-scale number game related to Lotto 6/49 in which lottery ticket buyers can choose two, three or four out of 39 numbers, is scheduled to provide prize money of NT$1,500, up from NT$1,125 per two number bet, from June 22 to July 11, Hsieh noted.

This year's Dragon Boat Festival weekend starts on June 19.