From Almond Tea to Millions: Lottery Luck Strikes in Taiwan!

A NT$35 Tea Purchase Leads to a Life-Changing NT$10 Million Win.

Taipei, Taiwan – Luck was certainly on the side of some Taiwanese residents recently! The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced the winners of the January-February uniform invoice lottery, revealing some truly remarkable stories of fortune. Among the 11 lucky recipients of the NT$10 million (US$304,000) special prize, one stands out: a winner in Chiayi City’s West District who secured their fortune with a simple NT$35 purchase of almond tea!

The winning receipt, bearing the serial number 95980685, highlights the lottery's potential for turning small expenditures into significant rewards. Adding to the excitement, the MOF also announced 10 winners of the NT$2 million grand prize, with the winning serial number 37166026.

Incredibly, the MOF reported that five of the special prize-winning invoices came from purchases totaling less than NT$100, demonstrating that a small spend can indeed lead to a massive win.

The lottery also included prizes specifically for cloud-based invoices, with a total of 95 cloud-based receipts winning special, grand, first prizes, and cloud-based NT$1 million prizes.

Winners can claim their prizes between Sunday and July 7. It is crucial to note that Taiwanese citizens must present their National Identification Card and the winning receipt to claim their prize. Non-citizens are also eligible, provided they present their passport, Alien Resident Certificate, or Entry & Exit Permit.

Prizes up to NT$1,000 can be redeemed at convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, OK Mart, Hi-Life, PX Mart, and Simple Mart. Prizes up to NT$40,000 can be collected from credit cooperatives across Taiwan, First Commercial Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, and the Agricultural Bank of Taiwan.

The uniform invoice lottery, held every two months, has been a staple in Taiwan since the early 1950s. It was established to incentivize consumers to request receipts, thereby increasing tax revenue. Holders of receipts whose serial numbers match the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers win NT$40,000, while those with invoices whose serial numbers match the last six digits win NT$10,000. Other prizes are also awarded for matching fewer digits.