Lunar New Year lottery offers record NT$1.05b in bonus prizes

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) Taiwan Lottery will be handing out bonus prizes of NT$1.05 billion (US$31.89 million) in total for the upcoming Lunar New Year holidays, the company announced Thursday.The bonus prizes, which will be a record high for the Lunar New Year lottery, will be drawn daily over 20 days, from Jan. 24-Feb. 12, Taiwan Lottery President Hsieh Chih-hung (謝志宏) said at a press conference.The lotteries will include the Lotto 6/49, Daily Cash, 39Mark5, 49Mark6, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Bingo Bingo, with the total bonus amount for prizes over the 20-day period amounting to NT$1.05 billion, according to Hsieh.In the Lotto 6/49, which usually requires a choice of six out of 49 numbers, the top prize during the Lunar New Year lottery period will be NT$100 million, he said.In addition, those who pick six out of the nine numbers drawn for the Lunar New Year's Big Red Envelope will have a chance to win up to NT$1 million each from a total prize pot of NT$480 million.Those who match five out of nine numbers in the Lunar New Year's Big Red Envelope draw and also pick the correct number for the Lunar New Year's Small Red Envelope draw will have a chance to win up to NT$100,000 each from a total prize pot of NT$80 million, Hsieh said.For the Bingo Bingo game, in which players bet on numbers every five minutes, the winning prizes for the various games will be increased during the 20-day Lunar New Year lottery period, the company's news release said.