Thiruvananthapuram: The first prize in the Onam bumper lottery of the Kerala government this year will carry a record-breaking prize money of Rs 25 crore. A proposal in this regard submitted by the Directorate of Kerala State Lotteries has been approved by the government and a notification has been issued. It is for the first time that the Lotteries Directorate is offering a prize of over Rs 12 crore for a lottery ticket.

Earlier, the Lotteries Directorate had proposed tickets with first prize amounting to either Rs 25, 28 or 50 crore to the Finance Department. Among these suggestions, the government cleared the first prize of Rs 25 crore, with each lottery ticket to be priced at Rs 500.

Meanwhile, the second prize will carry an amount of Rs 5 crore and 10 tickets will be given the third prize, each getting Rs 1 crore. As many as 90 lakh lottery tickets could be printed this year, said authorities.

The winner of the first prize of Rs 25 crore can take home Rs 15.75 crore after deducting the agency commission of 10 % and taxes of 30 %.

During the last three years, the first prize of Onam bumper amounted to Rs 12 crore, with each ticket priced at Rs 300. In 2021, the directorate had printed 54 lakh tickets.

Even though officials at Lotteries Directorate believe that the enhanced prize money would earn more income for the government, agents are concerned over the likely fall in sales considering the high price of the ticket.