Kanhangad: For the first time in the history of the Kerala lottery, all 90 lakh Thiruvonam Bumper tickets printed this year have been sold. Last year, 75 lakh tickets were sold, while the figure was 71.50 lakh in 2024. The Thiruvonam Bumper, which carries a first prize of Rs 30 crore, sold out a day before the draw.

Tickets had sold out at most lottery offices, including Palakkad, the district with the highest ticket sales in the state, by Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. After reports spread that tickets were unavailable at the offices, wholesale distributors began travelling to other districts in an attempt to buy the remaining stock. They purchased tickets from district and sub-offices where stocks were still available, completing the sale.

Sales during the Onam season were lower than expected due to heavy rain. However, sales picked up in the days after Onam and exceeded expectations. By the second week of September, sales had crossed 75 lakh. Small retail outlets also offer customers the facility to obtain tickets from their preferred districts. Although tickets have been sold out at government lottery offices, stocks remain with wholesale centres and retail outlets. Wholesale and retail agents say tickets are still available for sale until the draw at 2 pm on Saturday.

The ticket price is Rs 500. The sale of 90 lakh tickets generated a total turnover of Rs 450 crore. Agents pay Rs 411 per ticket to the lottery office, including GST. After deducting the agency commission and GST, the government receives around Rs 268 per ticket. Based on this calculation, more than Rs 241.20 crore from the sale of 90 lakh tickets has reached the state exchequer. Of this, Rs 125.54 crore has to be distributed as prize money.

The GST collected from the sale of 90 lakh tickets amounts to Rs 128.52 crore, half of which naturally goes to Kerala. The tax collected on the first prize amount and other components is additional.

In 2022, the first prize of the Thiruvonam Bumper was increased to Rs 25 crore and the ticket price was fixed at Rs 500. That year, 66.55 lakh tickets were sold, followed by 75.76 lakh tickets in 2023. This year, the first prize was increased to Rs 30 crore without changing the ticket price.

Tickets for the Pooja Bumper, which carries a first prize of Rs 12 crore, will go on sale within a few days.