Taipei, April 1 (CNA) A total of 11 invoice receipts won the NT$10 million (US$304,000) special prize in Taiwan’s January-February uniform invoice lottery, including one for a NT$35 almond tea purchase, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Tuesday.
In addition to the receipt issued with the serial number 95980685, the ministry also revealed 10 winners of the NT$2 million grand prize with the serial number 37166026.
Among the winners, one individual from Chiayi City’s West District spent just NT$35 on a cup of almond tea at a local tea stand and won the NT$10 million special prize, the MOF said.
In total, five of the special prize-winning invoices came from purchases of less than NT$100, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, the MOF also drew prizes exclusively for cloud-based invoices.
A total of 95 cloud-based receipts were drawn as winners of the special, grand and first prizes, as well as cloud-based NT$1 million prizes, according to the MOF.
Prizes can be claimed between Sunday and July 7, the ministry said.
Under the rules of Taiwan’s receipt lottery, 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 include NT$4,000 for receipts with the last five digits of any first-prize number, NT$1,000 for receipts with the last four digits, and NT$200 for invoices with the last three digits.
To collect a prize, Taiwanese citizens must present their National Identification Card and a winning receipt, MOF said.
Non-citizens are also eligible to win the cash prizes as long as they present their passport, Alien Resident Certificate or Entry & Exit Permit issued by the National Immigration Agency, according to the ministry.
Prizes up to NT$1,000 can be claimed 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, according to the ministry.
The uniform invoice lottery, drawn every two months, was created in the early 1950s to encourage consumers to ask for a receipt when making a purchase so as to boost tax revenue.
