AI faces, viral claims: Kerala Thiruvonam Bumper winner yet to emerge; know why they stay away

Three days after Kerala State Lotteries announced its record ₹30 crore Thiruvonam bumper jackpot, the winner of the first prize has yet to come forward.

The winning ticket, TL 360615, was drawn on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Gorky Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram following the usual trial runs. The entire 90 lakh tickets printed for the draw were sold, with each ticket priced at ₹500. This took the total prize pool to ₹125.56 crore.

The Directorate of Kerala State Lotteries increased the Thiruvonam bumper's first prize from ₹25 crore to ₹30 crore this year. It is the highest first prize offered in the history of the Kerala lottery.

Winning ticket sold in Kannur

The winning ticket can be traced to lottery agent Aneesh M.V. in Kannur. It was sold by sub-agent M.V. Sujith, after the ticket was purchased from Thamburan Lottery Agency.

However, no person has so far approached the lottery authorities with the winning ticket.

With the winner yet to be identified, speculation has spread rapidly on social media. Several posts have claimed to reveal the identity of the jackpot winner, but officials have confirmed that the actual ticket holder remains unidentified.

Fake winner photos and social media rumours

AI-generated images and unverified claims have also flooded social media.

One widely circulated claim says that a truck driver named Manu bought the ticket in Mattannur. Another claims that the winning ticket was handed over to a Canara Bank manager in Vattoli.

There is no official confirmation that either claim is true. Officials have maintained that the identity of the winner is not known because nobody has presented the winning ticket so far.

Why jackpot winners often keep their identity private

The silence of the Thiruvonam bumper winner also comes against the backdrop of the experiences of previous Kerala lottery jackpot winners.

Past bumper winners have faced considerable public attention after their identities became known. Some have reportedly been approached by strangers seeking loans or financial assistance, leading to a loss of privacy and unwanted pressure.

In some cases, winners have even been forced to leave their homes and stay at undisclosed locations to avoid repeated approaches from people seeking financial help. Such experiences have caused significant mental distress for some previous winners.

The process does not end with finding the winning ticket, either. Tax deductions, legal issues and the verification procedures required before a prize is released can also affect how quickly the winner receives the money.

For the holder of TL 360615, however, the first step remains the same: coming forward with the winning ticket and completing the official verification process.