On the evening of the 25th of last February, the lights were still bright on the third floor of Taipei's Bank of Taiwan. Hundreds of people filled the third floor area, with eyes glued to the number announcing machines, and hands busily copying figures. Suddenly, everyone strained to see the grand prize-winning number: 946880. The holder of this ticket became the recipient of 150 million NTD, or US$3,750,000, the grand prize for 1985.
With the announcement that this year's prizes would be greatly increased came high hopes for striking it rich, and a leap in lottery ticket sales. Liberty Lottery staff members often worked into the night to carefully inspect the tickets which rolled out from the presses, and send them to selling counters where they would be exchanged for stacks of bills.
What is the purpose of this large operation? When the Chinese government arrived on Taiwan in 1949, it was faced with a poor economy and limited tax revenues. A method was needed to raise funds for public works construction. Jen Hsiench'un, then director of the Department of Finance of Taiwan Province. observed how national bonds were used abroad for raising funds, and decided to establish a similar method on Taiwan.
The first lottery tickets were printed in April of 1950. Each ticket was sold for 15 NTD. As the price was considered high for that time, few tickets were purchased in the first term. When the price was lowered to 5 NTD, sales doubled to reach 200,000 tickets. The popularity of lottery tickets has since continued to climb, and this month's sales have averaged 1,000,000 tickets per term.
Taiwan's lottery tickets are designed as a vertical strip divided into horizontal sections, the number of sections varying from year to year. They were originally a solid color, but later came to be embellished with illustrations of ancient Chinese relics, art treasures, local scenery or scenes from famous legends. With its unique ticket design, effective sales and credibility, the Chinese national lottery was chosen by the International Lottery Association in 1962 as the finest in the world.
Because of their unique illustrations, lottery tickets have come to be collected like postage stamps. Lotteries are drawn three times each month, and collectors pride themselves in having a ticket from each lottery term. As each line, or block of tickets contains eight tickets, a few devoted collectors may collect complete blocks.
Professor Huang Kuang-kuo has commented on why the national lottery is so popular in Taiwan: "If a person wins just once, he will be encouraged to keep on buying. If he has never won, he is sure to try until he does." Because of this phenomenon, two thirds of Taiwan's residents have at some time purchased Liberty Lottery tickets.
Thirty thousand people are currently involved in the sale of lottery tickets. The largest outlet for purchasing them wholesale is at downtown Taipei's Bank of Taiwan. Tickets are released on the 4th, 14th and 24th of every month for purchase by retailers, who must buy at least 50. The tickets are purchased wholesale at 90 NTD apiece, and sold for 100 NTD.
While tickets are also released in cities outside Taipei, many sellers from outlying cities believe that those purchased in the capital have a higher chance of winning, and will make a special trip to buy Taipei tickets. In actuality, the number of tickets released is set in accordance with an area's population. As a substantial number of tickets are released in Taipei, it is only natural that a larger proportion of winning tickets would also be from Taipei.
Winning lottery numbers are drawn and announced 10 days after tickets are released for sale. Some ticket dealers work together to organize branches in a number of cities which arrange for the mutual purchase and exchange of blocks of tickets from each area through the mail. If one branch is experiencing low sales, they can send their tickets to a branch in another area and still meet the 10-day deadline.
Other ticket-sellers work on an individual basis, and rely on luck to sell all of their tickets before the deadline. In purchasing wholesale, these peddlers have established a common practice of buying no more that 80% of the number of tickets they have sold in the previous term at a time. Ticket peddlers choose crowded public places such as theater fronts, bus and train stations and underground walkways to sell their tickets. The first of the month, when most people collect their wages, is the best time for sales.
Those who can't sell all of their tickets on time have no choice but to wait and see if they have won a prize themselves. Many recall the story of a peddler named Ch'en, who sold lottery tickets around 20 years ago. The night of the drawing, Ch'en still had one line of tickets left to sell. Giving up on the prospect, he went home, put it in his dresser, and went out for the evening. Later that night, Ch'en heard on the radio that the grand prizewinning number was the same as that on the section of tickets which he was unable to sell. He rushed home, but only to realize that his wife had already sold the remaining ticket earlier in the evening.
Every term, one winning number is chosen. As each block of numbers has eight tickets, there may be as many as 8 winners.
Buyers may choose from ticket numbers when they purchase. Some have tried all kinds of methods, from superstitious prediction to computer calculation, to try to determine which numbers are most likely to win. Others pool their money to buy large blocks of tickets, hoping to increase their chances of winning.
In terms of percentages however, the largest winner is the provincial government. Of the total intake from wholesale lottery ticket sales, 45.67% is actually used for prizes. Another 15% is used to cover the cost of printing and distribution. The rest goes into the national budget. From the 800,000 tickets sold in every term, the government earns over 300,000,000 NTD (each year), or US$7,500,000. During the Chinese New Year, prizes and revenues double.
It has been estimated that ticket buyers have only a 3.5% chance of winning. Yet despite these low odds, sales continue to increase. Many feel the lottery should be eliminated, as it encourages citizens to use their money for speculation. At the outset, the lottery was essential in acquiring much needed funds, and made for 10% of all provincial revenues. Now, earnings from the lottery make up only 0.02% of all revenues, a clear indication that this source of revenue is no longer essential to the provincial budget.
Others feel that hopes for striking it rich are a part of human nature, and that if the lottery is eliminated, the peoples' tendencies toward speculation will be channeled into less fair and honest forms of gambling which require larger sums of money.
In contrast to many other forms of speculation, earnings from the Liberty Lottery are put to positive public use. Suggestions have recently been made to concentrate these revenues primarily on welfare and charity programs. At any rate, the money spent on lottery tickets by the citizens of the Republic of China is channeled right back to the purchaser, whether in the form of a public bridge, highway, or social program. In the end, regardless of who wins the grand prize, everyone becomes a winner in the Republic of China's Liberty Lottery.
(Jill Ardourel)
[Picture Caption]
A buyer carefully examines the lottery tickets to choose one with a "lucky number".
1. Small balls with each lottery number written on top are lined up, ready to be put into the spinning machines used to draw the winning numbers. 2.3. Winning lottery numbers are publicly drawn on the 5th, 15th and 25th of every month. At that time, both buyers and vendors go to check their tickets or make note of the winning numbers.
1. After discovering an incorrect ticket, members of the lottery department staff at the Bank of Taiwan adjust the numeral-printing machine to print the number into the blank space. 2. 3.4. Each of these lottery tickets has a special significance. 2. A ticket from the first Liberty Lottery term, a vertical rectangle in a solid color. 3. The 315th term ticket, a horizontal rectangle with charming illustration. 4. By the 599th term tickets were illustrated with the colorful drawings of artist Liang Younming.
1. Those who sell lottery tickets honor the God of Earth. This is one way of attracting customers. 2. Those who sell lottery tickets must have on hand a large variety of numbers from which customers may choose.
1. Small balls with each lottery number written on top are lined up, ready to be put into the spinning machines used to draw the winning numbers.
2.3. Winning lottery numbers are publicly drawn on the 5th, 15th and 25th of every month. At that time, both buyers and vendors go to check their tickets or make note of the winning numbers.
2.3. Winning lottery numbers are publicly drawn on the 5th, 15th and 25th of every month. At that time, both buyers and vendors go to check their tickets or make note of the winning numbers.
1. After discovering an incorrect ticket, members of the lottery department staff at the Bank of Taiwan adjust the numeral-printing machine to print the number into the blank space.
2. 3.4. Each of these lottery tickets has a special significance.
2. A ticket from the first Liberty Lottery term, a vertical rectangle in a solid color.
3. The 315th term ticket, a horizontal rectangle with charming illustration.
1. Those who sell lottery tickets honor the God of Earth. This is one way of attracting customers.
2. Those who sell lottery tickets must have on hand a large variety of numbers from which customers may choose.
