Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal announced the winner of the much-awaited Onam bumper lucky draw on Sunday afternoon, the 18th of September. Fortune shone brightly for a young man named Anoop, 30, an auto-rickshaw driver, who was declared the winner of a life-changing sum of 25 crore via a lucky draw.

The lucky draw was held in Kerala’s capital of Thiruvananthapuram, where Anoop’s ticket number TJ-750605 emerged as the winner of the bumper prize of 25 crore. The search for the winner of the bumper prize started as soon as the result was announced. It was later identified as an auto-rickshaw driver who had purchased the ticket from an agency in Pazhavangadi in Thiruvananthapuram.

The result came in as a shock to the ticket holder, who had purchased the ticket on Saturday evening, less than 24 hours from the declaration of the record-breaking Onam lottery results. After being swarmed by the reporters, Anoop did not reveal much at the time, stating that he will think about utilizing the money later.

“At the moment, I don’t know what to say or what to do with the money. I’m just happy. Will think about what to do with it later on,” Anoop told the media after winning the lottery.

Apart from the first prize, a ticket bearing the number TG 270912 won the second prize of Rs 5 crore. The lottery ticket was sold by the Meenakshi Lottery Agency in Kottayam. Earlier, it was announced that the agent selling the prize-winning lottery ticket will get Rs 2.50 crore in commission from the lottery department.

Notably, Kerala State Lottery Department recorded a surge in the sale of lottery tickets this year, which rose from 54 lakhs in 2021 to this year, despite a hike in ticket prices. The prize money of 25 crore is the highest amount ever offered by the state’s lottery department, doubling the previous year’s prize money of Rs 12 crore. 

Here is the list of notable winners for the Thiruvonam Bumper BR 87 2022:

1st prize: Rs 25 crore

Winner: TJ 750605 (Thiruvananthapuram)

2nd prize: Rs 5 crore

Winner: TG 270912 (Kottayam)

3rd prize: Rs 1 crore (10 winners)

TA 292922 (ERNAKULAM)

TB 479040 (NEYYATTINKARA)

TC 204579 (ADOOR)

TD 545669 (VAIKKOM)

TE 115479 (KOLLAM)

TG 571986 (PALAKKAD)

TH 562506 (THRISSUR)

TJ 384189 (WAYANADU)

TK 395507 (PALAKKAD)

TL 555868 (CHERTHALA)