Kerala: Over 13 lakh Christmas-New Year bumper lotteries sold so far; Palakkad leads the way

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's state-run Lottery Department has reported record sales for the Christmas-New Year Bumper 2024-25 (BR-101) lottery. Launched on December 17, ticket sales for the bumper draw have been exceptional, with the majority of tickets already sold across various districts, according to the latest data.

As of 5 p.m. on December 23, out of the 20 lakh tickets printed, a total of 13,48,670 tickets have already been sold. The highest number of tickets, approximately 2,70,050, were sold in Palakkad district. The capital district of Thiruvananthapuram follows with over 1,53,400 tickets sold, while Thrissur ranks third with 1,34,370 tickets sold.

This year’s bumper lottery is particularly attractive due to its prize structure. The first prize offers a substantial ₹20 crore, with the second prize being ₹1 crore for each of 20 winners. The third prize consists of ₹10 lakh for each of 30 winners, distributed across different series. Additionally, there are four other prize categories, including ₹3 lakh each for 20 winners and ₹2 lakh each for 20 winners.

The ticket price for the 2024-25 Christmas-New Year Bumper is ₹400, with the draw scheduled for February 5, 2025.

The lottery's delayed sale this year was due to changes in the prize structure, which led to a later-than-usual start. Normally, the Christmas-New Year Bumper sale begins immediately after the Pooja Bumper draw, but this time, the decision to revise the prize structure delayed the launch. The delay sparked protests from lottery agents, but the decision was eventually rolled back.

In last year’s (2023-24) Christmas-New Year Bumper, the first prize of ₹20 crore was won by ticket number XC 224091, sold through an agency in Palakkad.

With a total of ₹20 crore as the first prize and an impressive array of additional prizes, this year’s bumper lottery continues to attract significant attention, further solidifying its status as one of Kerala's most anticipated events. (With inputs from Agencies)